Netanyahu: Obama Will Try to Internationalize Jerusalem Sites

Arutz Sheva ^ | 1-28-09 | Hana Levi Julian

[SJackson]

(IsraelNN.com) Likud party chairman and Knesset Opposition leader MK Binyamin Netanyahu warned at the Jerusalem Conference Wednesday that the Obama administration and leftist Israeli politicians will try to internationalize holy sites in Jerusalem -- and he vowed to fight the move.

Netanyahu speech starts at 1:00 minute mark in video below.

MK Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu Arutz 7 Video

00:00 Embed Video - Copy code to embed video in HTML document

Email readers: click here to watch Netanyahu speech.

Netanyahu told the audience, “Some politicians are trying to blur the importance of the Temple Mount to the Jewish People by referring to it as the ‘Holy Basin.’ We, as Jews, know who built the Temple Mount.”

The term “Holy Basin” refers to the area of the Temple Mount, the Mount of Olives, Mount Zion and a variety of Christian holy sites which the administration of former U.S. President Bill Clinton recommended be administered under a “special regime.”

This raises the issue of who would administer the Temple Mount, since at present the Wakf Islamic Authority controls the site, albeit under Israeli sovereignty. Moreover, the Arab neighborhoods surrounding the Temple Mount, home to tens of thousands of Israeli Arab residents, are also a part of greater Jerusalem, and thereby fall into the same discussion.

Former prime minister Netanyahu, who will likely return to his old leadership role after the February 10 Israel elections, repeatedly emphasized the Likud’s loyalty to the concept of a united Jerusalem.

“We have demonstrated in the past, and will continue to demonstrate our commitment to a complete, undivided Jerusalem,” Netanyahu assured a packed hall at the Jerusalem Regency Hotel, where he opened the final day of the Jerusalem Conference.

“What would have happened had we not built all those neighborhoods” around the central part of the capital after the Six-Day War, Netanyahu asked. “Jerusalem would have been choked.” Moreover, he said, transferring sovereignty over those areas to the Palestinian Authority is not an option.

“Everyone knows what will happen if we were to leave those areas and divide Jerusalem. Someone will enter – and that someone will be Hamas.”

Dividing the capital, or resurrecting the specter of internationalizing the “Holy Basin”, this time at the recommendation of the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, would cause more problems even for the international community that it would solve, he added.

The three major religions of the world exist in peace, have access to all their sites, only because Jerusalem is united and under Israeli rule, Netanyahu contended, adding in deliberately Hebrew-accented English, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

After Netanyahu's Jerusalem Conference speech, he convened with his fellow party member Dr. Yuval Steinitz and Ichud Leumi (National Union) party Chairman Yaakov Katz. Katz asked the Likud chairman what his plans are for a coalition after the Israel elections. Netanyahu responded, "We will establish a broad coalition based on all the Zionist parties - blue and orange." [Orange is the color associated with the Ichud Leumi (National Union) party and its supporters].

The meeting between Netanyahu and Katz was held in a positive atmosphere with reciprocal intentions for developing a close working relationship. Katz later told reporters, "Only a strong Ichud Leumi (National Union) in the Knesset will insure that all the good intentions of the government will be implemented."

[Biggirl]

Cannot be done. The sites are under the direction if not the Isreali government, then of the different faith communities.

[Biggirl]

That is true, the Koran NEVER ONCE mentions Jerusalam.

[Biggirl]

That could be why Obama played the game with the Arab world when he had that recent interview, play on their edmotions.

[gscc]

Yes he did tell me this in His Word:

Concerning Isaac through whom the Jewish people trace their lineage:

Genesis 17:18,19 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shall call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

Concerning Ishmael through whom the Moslems trace their lineage:

“Behold, you are with child, and shall bear a son; you shall call his name Ishmael; because The Lord has given heed to your affliction. He shall be a wild ass of a man, his hand against every man and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.” (Genesis 16:11-12)

[Ancesthntr]

But I'm not advocating this to weaken Israel and I do recognize the duplicity and untrustworthiness of Islam that others have pointed out.

The elimination of Jewish control over the site of the Holy Temples will utterly demoralize Israel, and hasten the destruction of whatever is left of it by the Arabs who simply don't recognize ANY sovereignty over that land other than their own.

Also, I'm at least grateful to the Arabs that they are VERY trustworthy - once you know their ultimate goal (taking over every square inch of Earth and killing everyone who refuses to convert), then they are amazingly consistent. Every single action, whether it is highly agressive or seemingly a retreat into reasonableness, serves a purpose. They're aggressive/murderous when they can be, passive and rather docile when someone else has a loaded gun at their head - you think that Lenin invented that stuff about pushing when a bayonet encounters soft flesh and pulling it out when it hits bone???

I just think that the Vatican might provide a good model for the administration of the Holy Land and that by removing that burr we might be able to finally shut the Muslims up.

How is Vatican City a model for Jerusalem? No other religion has ever claimed the land where it sits, and the country which surrounds it is one of the most Catholic in the world. That's no model, any more than Bernie Madoff is a good model of honest dealing in the investment world.

"...shut the Muslims up." Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Simply won't happen. Our grandchildren's grandchildren's grandchildren will still be hearing their bellie-aching, should these descendants of ours ever live and worship as we do.

I respect your desire to find a peaceful solution, but there simply isn't one. American Presidents would do well do devote their energies to attempting to solve problems capable of being solved, like conjuring up rainbow-farting unicorns to fix our fatally-wounded economy.

[ExTexasRedhead]

All Jews, especially Republican Jews, must express their outrage that the Muslim Messiah is selling out Israel and sucking up to America’s enemies, Muslims that want to destroy Israel and who hate the USA. I find his disgusting display of treason yesterday to be reprehensible. I can only imagine how the parents of dead and wounded American soldiers felt yesterday to witness the POTUS sucking up to and apologizing to our enemies. OMG, our forefathers are truly turning in their graves in disgust. How the American people sit idly by while Liberals destroy our country is beyond me.

[The Electrician]

Yes.

[Filo]

The elimination of Jewish control over the site of the Holy Temples will utterly demoralize Israel, and hasten the destruction of whatever is left of it by the Arabs who simply don't recognize ANY sovereignty over that land other than their own.

I see what you're saying, but I do recognize that we are a pragmatic people. . .

It might not be that bad. Also, I'm at least grateful to the Arabs that they are VERY trustworthy - once you know their ultimate goal (taking over every square inch of Earth and killing everyone who refuses to convert), then they are amazingly consistent. Every single action, whether it is highly agressive or seemingly a retreat into reasonableness, serves a purpose.

Agreed 100%

How is Vatican City a model for Jerusalem?

Inasmuch as it's a self-contained, self-managed and self-defended religious city respected the world over. . . I respect your desire to find a peaceful solution, but there simply isn't one.

Well, in that case I may have to revert to my "nuke 'em all and let allah sort 'em out" position.

/sigh

[Abathar]

"Both locations where post-World War Two Nazis have built their strongholds"

You must like David Drake too.

[forkinsocket]

I don’t care about other people’s claims to Jerusalem, only ours.

& we can always dig up some Makkawi tzaddik & we just have to build a shrine for him & the place just has to be internationalized so we can go on our pilgrimages to pray at his shrine. Maybe after that we’ll also consider internationalizing Jerusalem - & then reject it anyway.

[444Flyer]

“...Well, in that case I may have to revert to my “nuke ‘em all and let allah sort ‘em out” position.”

LOL. Wow. I most humbly take back my UN troll accusation. My apologies.
:-)

[AmericanVictory]

Could you point out where in the Koran Jerusalem is mentioned as a site sacred to Islam?

[sheik yerbouty]

Murder and pillage..

[Mr. Mojo]

The biggest obstacle to Mid East peace (beyond psychotic Muslims)....

There is no "beyond" psychotic Muslims. They are the obstacle -- their existence eliminates the possiblity of peace anywhere, period. Appeasing them doesn't work, and "internationalizing" Jerusalem would be doing just that. In fact, it would give the jihadis encouragement that their terrorist methods bring tangible results politically. ...and they've had quite enough encouragement already.

[Filo]

Could you point out where in the Koran Jerusalem is mentioned as a site sacred to Islam?

The Koran doesn't, the Bible (Old Testament and New) do.

But Islam has laid claim to holy sites nonetheless...

[Filo]

There is no "beyond" psychotic Muslims. They are the obstacle -- their existence eliminates the possiblity of peace anywhere, period. Appeasing them doesn't work, and "internationalizing" Jerusalem would be doing just that. In fact, it would give the jihadis encouragement that their terrorist methods bring tangible results politically. ...and they've had quite enough encouragement already.

No argument that it is a form of appeasement and, as such, is distasteful.

My reasoning is, however, simple: As of now a Muslim attack on Jerusalem is an attack on Israel and, in the eyes of much of the world, justified due to how Israel "oppresses" the poor Palestinians.

Make it a holy city unto itself with Christianity as part of the mix and then an attack on or attempted takeover of Jerusalem is akin to an attack on the Vatican. International mobilization would be swift and decisive as the attack would be the start of a holy war.

Since Jerusalem is nestled in the heart of Israel it would make things harder for Islam on the whole, IMO, even when "just" attacking Israel. . . one stray bomb or missile and 2 billion Christians are gonna be ticked.

[kabar]

Never happen. Obama will ask for another wavier.

[AmericanVictory]

Then for those of us who are not scholars of Islam, what is the basis of Islam’s claim?

[ken5050]

Thanks for reminding us of that sad episode..

[Mr. Mojo]

As of now a Muslim attack on Jerusalem is an attack on Israel....

Terrorist attacks in Jerusalem are extraordinarily rare, so nothing would change. Jihadi attacks on the usual targets (Tel-Aviv, Haifa, Netanya etc.) wouldn't be prevented by an "internationalized" Jerusalem.