Israel Matzav

The Battle for Jerusalem

I have a quiz for you. Who said the following about Jerusalem:

This city is the basis of our existence, the subject of our longings, the unfulfilled dream throughout our history... What held our nation together was the hope to return to it and to stay here forever and ever…

There is no People who wants peace more than we do, none have sacrificed for it more than we have. But no nation has ever been asked to sacrifice its most important treasures in order to appease another people! And we too, no matter how dedicated to peace we may be, we will not give up our most precious and important national treasures of Jewish history!

For us, there is one and only one city! It will accept and tolerate all its residents, from all nationalities and religions - but it is one city, not divided, not in pieces - just one entire and whole city, the capital of the Jewish People!

Jerusalem will not be divided! …We are a nation with a memory of thousands of years, we don't forget anything, and we don't forgive those who don't respect our deep feelings for our capital city... We never ever forget those who dare to raise their hand against our most precious assets…

Think about that as you read this:


The cartoon above comes from the inimitable Dry Bones of course. Make sure to read the whole thing. While you're at it, please make sure to check out the web site of the new Coordinating Council on Jerusalem. Here's some of what you'll find there:

CCJ is a broad-based coalition of major American Jewish organizations which take differing views on many matters, but which unite around the firm conviction that Jerusalem is the Capital of the Jewish People and the heritage of all Jews everywhere and that we oppose any negotiations which involve possible concessions of Jewish sovereignty or control over Jerusalem.

CCJ’s mission is to help unite, focus, facilitate and leverage the activities of CCJ’s member organizations and to use all educational, diplomatic, political and other legal means to ensure that Jerusalem remains intact, secure, undivided and under Jewish sovereignty.

CCJ member organizations and supporters are diverse and have arrived at the same conclusion from many different starting points for different reasons. What unites us is our core belief that the future of Jerusalem is a Jewish issue as much as it is an Israeli issue and that as Jews we have the right and responsibility to act in accordance with our respective moral, ethical and religious beliefs and our independent political judgments.

Although CCJ’s member organizations are primarily US-based Jewish organizations, (a) many of CCJ’s organizations function actively in Israel and have substantial memberships who live in Israel, (b) CCJ’s positions and initiatives are coordinated with dozens of similarly-minded Jewish organizations and leaders who reside in Israel, and (c) CCJ coordinates also with non-Jewish and non-sectarian organizations and leaders who share a similar commitment to an intact, secure, undivided Jerusalem under Jewish sovereignty.

Formed in response to the threat of the impending renewal of negotiations calling for concessions on Jerusalem, CCJ recognizes the active role taken by the United States government in such negotiations. CCJ is dedicated to transmitting our position publicly and to influencers and decision-makers via Education, Media, Mass Events and Lobbying.

For those of you who didn't know, al-Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem. And the quote with which I started this post was said by none other than Prime Minister Ehud K. Olmert. Some people will sell their soul to pay the devil, won't they?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:14 PM