The cemetery has no sanctity

[Behind the Aegis]

In an article called "The hypocrisy of tolerance," from February 9, Meron Benvenisti joined the Muslim chorus protesting against the construction of the Museum of Tolerance in the Mamilla Quarter in Jerusalem on the grounds that it is being built on a cemetery. Among other things, he determines that Muslim clergy arguments contradicting the Jewish-Israeli expert's ruling that the sanctity of the spot had been lifted, were "rejected with contempt."

I am the expert, and my opinion on behalf of the museum was delivered to the High Court of Justice in response to a petition by the Al Aqsa society against construction of the museum.

I did not contemptuously reject arguments by learned Muslim clergy, but actually relied on the actions and rulings of Haj Amin Husseini, the supreme Muslim authority at the time of the British Mandate, responsible for the management of the Islamic Waqf's property with regard to cemeteries. Indeed, there was a cemetery at the site but 75 years ago, its sanctification was lifted and purpose changed.

In 1927, the Supreme Muslim Council, headed by the mufti, built the Palace inside the cemetery. As Benvenisti himself wrote in his book City of Stone, the mufti ruled that there should be no more burials there, and even ordered skeletons found at the site moved to another burial ground.

more...

[not systems]

1. After seeing pictures of the site on MOSAIC on Link TV...

I can tell the cemetery has value regardless
of what some corrupt leader proclaimed.

It is of obvious historical value.

It is ridiculous that pro-destroying the cemetery people
are resting their case on the proclamations of the mufti who
they denounce as pro-Nazi and correctly so it seems.

If that isn't hypocritical I don't know what is.

[Behind the Aegis]

2. You must not understand "hypocritical."

See...hypocritical is saying it is OK to build structures scant years after the 'decommission' and have no protests, but 40 years after the 'decommission' protest that it is a sacred site.

[Violet_Crumble]

3. Husseini died years ago, so he ain't protesting anything...

He's not saying anything now either. What I find pathetic is that someone who's not a Muslim is carrying on as though they're some fucking expert on Islamic religious matters. The Israeli High Court has put a stop to any construction, so clearly they're much wiser than some of the folk who act as though digging up Muslim bones against the wishes of the owners of the cemetary is the only way they can get their jollies...

Violet...

[Behind the Aegis]

5. What bizarre stawmen.

:crazy:

[Violet_Crumble]

9. You mean stRawmen, don't you?

Nothing I said was of a stRawman nature, nor was it bizarre..

[Behind the Aegis]

10. LOL!

I was thinking about the post earlier and thought I said "strawmAn," instead of "strawmEn!" I forgot the bloody "R"." LOL! But, it doesn't change what your post was or it's strange nature.

[not systems]

4. You can't "decommission" history...

and my statement stands and applies.

It is a site of historical value beyond any proclamation religious or legal.

[Behind the Aegis]

6. No one 'decommissioned' history...

...they did decommission a cemetery though.

[not systems]

7. Look you want to bulldoze other peoples crypts and mausoleums ...

to build a shrine to your own peoples suffering.

Count the points however you want.

I think it is a sick idea.

This cemetery isn't a grassy lawn with little plaques
it is covered with stone buildings holds bodies that go
back a thousand years.

Sitting in front of a keyboard fantasizing excuses to
dig up a graveyard belonging to people one dislikes is
a strange hobby.

[Behind the Aegis]

8. .

:eyes: