Who is afraid Netanyahu could go ‘rogue’?

We have been hearing for years that the UK’s Guardian newspaper is anti-Israel. Sometimes it is just a shock to see an opinion piece based on absolutely nothing but Arab propaganda placed into the hands of a UK columnist and published by what a substantial number of people consider to be a reputable news source.

Such is the case with Monday April 22^nd’s Guardian opinion piece entitled: ”Is Benjamin Netanyahu about to go rogue in Jerusalem? All the signs are there.”

The basic premise of this editorial is that now that the Israeli right wing has once again garnered such strength from the outcome of the recent elections, that the Palestinians are terrified that their holy places will be taken away from them.  They claim they are equally concerned that Christian holy places are at risk as well. It is not Christians who are voicing these bizarre claims, but Palestinian Muslims according to the op-ed.  If that is in fact being whispered into the ears of English journalists by their Palestinian contacts, have they no ability to discern absurdity when they hear it?  Is the opinion writer for the Guardian prepared to promote claimed assertions based on absolutely nothing?  This is an example of the creation of an accepted Guardian opinion column premised on preconceived bias- with hysteria at its core.  The Guardian has proven itself irresponsible. The UK columnist clearly has no knowledge of Israeli values and their commitment to the holy places of all religions.

The inclusion of a supposed fear that Christian holy places are at risk is a clever manipulation from a journalist who knows absolutely nothing about what Israel considers in its own best interests. Contrary to Fundamentalist Muslim philosophy which appears to include destroying any and all holy places which are not Muslim, throughout the world – Israel has always respected sanctity of all that is valued by the different world religions.  No Arab state has ever been able to match that behavior.   Not only has this been a core philosophy in Israel from its inception, but it is additionally in Israel’s economic and public relations interests to protect non- Jewish religious sites which are of essential importance to millions of visitors annually.  It has been Israel’s practice to share religious sites with Muslims when Jews and Muslims find the location of religious significance to both.  It however, has never been reciprocated when the tables were turned.  Jews not being allowed even to move their lips in silent prayer on the Temple Mount because the Jordanians are in charge of the Mosque and its area around it on the same site, is an outrage. The site is holy to all Western Religions. The fact that it is the most holy site in the Jewish world as the location of the ancient Jewish Temple, makes it far more essential to Jews than to Muslims- who have never made such a claim in their Koran.  When Moshe Dayan agreed to cede the running of the site to the Jordanian Waqf, it was a compromise which the State of Israel and Jews around the world have regretted for all the years that have followed.  It was compounded when the Waqf began digging down below the site and disposing of all the antiquities which they found confirming the existence of the first and second temple periods.  Fortunately for the world, there is more than sufficient proof in museums around the world and in Israel. Still, the Islamic Waqf’s lack of respect of these treasures exemplify their attitude towards religions other than their own.  Essentially extremist Muslims (the ones who hold power throughout the Middle East and who populate terrorist organizations worldwide), do not allow those of other religions to observe their faiths whenever they have an opportunity to stop them. They even murder fellow Muslims at prayer when they are not the “right kind” of Muslim. The horrors of the Sri Lanka Easter massacre this week are proof positive that Christians need to fear radical Muslim groups, not Prime Minister Netanyahu.  Those shocking series of events were never mentioned in the Guardian’s scare-tactic article about the “dangerous” Netanyahu’s possible intentions regarding Muslim and Christian Holy sites.

The author of the Guardian’s opinion piece does not understand the essence of the Jew, and nor by extension- that of Israelis  (whether religious or not.)  It is not our culture to destroy the holy sites of others.  It is not our practice nor desire. While we as a people treasure our own holy texts and our forefathers we extend the same respect to the history of other religious faiths.

By contrast, the radical Muslims of Isis have proven in every city that they have entered in war, that they have total disrespect for history and the holy sites of others. The destruction of Churches, Synagogues, and museums which record the millennia of history for all humanity- is the true indicator of which culture has the intention to eradicate those who chose a path other than their own.

The Gatestone Institute reported this week that over 800 churches were defaced, burned or damaged in France in 2018.  These figures only came to light with the burning of the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in France.  How is it that 800 assaults on churches in one nation has not been front page news around the world?  Aparently it is the French police/government who have swept the facts away from the public eye.  No mention of Muslim terrorist involvement has surfaced. Perpetrators are simply “migrants.” Why is their actual identity irrelevant? Their country of origin? Their ethnicity? Are these not critical for the public to understand whether they have an enemy within?

The cause of the fire in Notre Dame was announced within a number of hours.  How can an issue so complicated be determined so quickly?  The ashes had not cooled sufficiently for humans to enter…and yet the cause was known even so?  It seems a concerned effort to allay additional public fear. What a disappointment Macron has proven to be, even after placing an anti-terrorism office in the Elysee palace.  How can the assaults against the French churches not be classified as “terrorism?”  That does not seem to bother the writer of the Guardian’s opinion piece.  He is much more concerned in perpetuating the pretense that Netanyahu is poised for some kind of surreptitious Israeli takeover of the holy sites of others.

If you really want to know the name of the author of the Guardian op-ed, you can check it out online.  As he does not garner my respect, I decline to offer it here.

There is little Media interest in understanding Israel core values- just in flagrant accusations.  With journalists like this sharing their opinions based on absolutely no evidence, there is little wonder that the readers no longer can discern truth from fiction. Journalists world wide complain about a lack of Freedom of the Press. In nations which actually support that freedom, writers must hold themselves to a much higher standard than is seen at present. Their honesty and objectivity is crucial to our understanding of the world in which we live.