Keep Your Attitudes Out of Our Land

I’ve got an ax to grind, a bone to pick. Today, as my friend and I approached the gate to ascend Har HaBayit, there were tourists lined up waiting to go sightseeing on the Temple Mount. Okay, fine. No problem …..but there are two separate lines…one for the tourists (who get to ascend freely and easily) and another line for Israelis (who must be screened and have their ID’s checked). Now, I tried to gently and sweetly explain this to the European tourists (from Germany and Italy). They became belligerent and angry and proceeded to block us insisting that we go all the way to the end of their line. I pushed my way in, and the Europeans began screaming at me…and…..wait for it…..physically assaulting me…yes, you read that correctly…..physically grabbing and pushing me in an attempt to remove me from my side of the line. I stood my ground. No, I didn’t beat the hell out of the one Italian jerk who instigated the whole incident, because I knew it was also a setup…they like to provoke Israelis, so they can “prove” how violent we are….I refused to move and reported it to the police when they came to take our ID’s…. We Israelis were escorted up to Har HaBayit, and the European tourists were left down there at the mercy of angry police officers who were screaming at them to get on their own side of the line.  These particular tourists should have been arrested for assault, but the government doesn’t like to upset the tourists and risk losing money.

What’s my issue? If the Europeans treat us this way IN OUR OWN LAND, how could they treat us if we go over to their land? But, we love to go visit Europe and give them our hard-earned money, while all the time, deep down inside, they loathe us….and yes, whisper, “Dirty Jew.” Don’t kid yourselves. I’m equally as guilty, because I, too, wanted to visit and see the European countryside, but after today, a light went on….I’m not so enchanted anymore.

Now, I have good friends who live in England and are lovely people who would never dream of acting like this, but even they will tell you that they have seen this sort of vile behavior. Yes, there are exceptions…not everyone is like this, but boy, there were hundreds like that today….how many more feel this way, but don’t outwardly express it?

So, keep your filthy money and your vile attitudes in your own countries, and leave us alone.  If you decide to visit, then mind your manners and don’t act like savages.