Israel Matzav

A monument to pilgrims to Mecca... in Eilat?

Israel is going dhimmi. A monument to pilgrims to Mecca is being built in Eilat.

The monument is planned for Eilat’s Shahamon Square.

Moshe Yosef, a resident of Eilat and a former city employee, claimed that the venture is jointly funded by the Municipality of Eilat and the Housing Ministry.

“This grandiose plan would include construction of lit metal statues of people wearing djellabas,” Yosef told Arutz Sheva’s Hebrew-language news service on Thursday. “The monument will include an observation terrace with a bench, decorative lighting and a circular pergola. The statues will be visible from the terrace. There will also be images and signs to explain to residents and tourists about the Muslim history of the place.”

He added that the plan has left the city’s residents stunned.

“I’ve lived here for 41 years and this is a central square in the city,” Yosef said. “All the military vehicles which come to Eilat from the local military bases travel through this square. Sports events are held here every evening, and residents walk, run, and ride their bicycle in the area. All of it is going to soon be in the shadow of this project.”

The project would in essence be recreating the Darb el Hajj or “Pilgrim’s Road”. The road was used by Arab pilgrims to go to Mecca and it ran from Africa through Egypt to Mecca, passing from the west at Eilat.

“It’s surreal to invest millions of dollars on a project to commemorate the immigrants from Mecca,” added Yosef. “The last time they went to Mecca via Eilat, at least according to what is written in the project, was in 1883.”

He added that just as the Arab city of Umm el-Fahm would not think to perpetuate the Jewish pilgrims to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, it is inconceivable that Eilat would perpetuate the pilgrims to Mecca.

“They should perpetuate the Negev Brigade and the conquest of Eilat,” he said. “People here are really stunned; the city is in turmoil, no one believes what is happening.”

A press release distributed Thursday by the Eilat municipality said that in light of residents’ requests, Mayor Meir Yitzhak Halevi has asked the Housing Ministry’s Southern District Director to name the monument “The Path of Peace” rather than “The Path of Rejoicing” as originally planned.

At least we haven't had a major terror attack there... yet... God forbid.

What could go wrong?
What could go wrong?

Labels: dhimmi, Eilat, Mecca, pilgrims

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:40 PM