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Christians Flee Holy Land in Mass Modern Exodus
Dateline Jerusalem: Christian Trail of Tears on the Move While Archbishop of Canterbury Plays Blame Game
by Eileen Fleming
In a recent BBC radio interview for the program “”World at One” the Archbishop of Canterbury expressed concerns about Christian minority populations all across the Middle East where life for Christians was “becoming unsustainable.”
The Archbishop is also organizing a conference to raise awareness of the “hemorrhaging of Christian populations from the Holy Land. The fact that Bethlehem, a majority Christian city just a couple of decades ago, is now very definitely a place where Christians are a marginalized minority. We want that to be a little bit higher on people’s radar. We want the public profile of the situation of Christians there to be better known. And we see that as of course part of a general hope to raise the profile of Christians in the region.”
The Archbishop noted that in the Little Town of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, Christians are now the “marginalized minority…It’s not ethnic cleansing exactly because it’s been far less deliberate than that I think. What we’ve seen though is a kind of Newtonian passing on of energy or force from one body to another so that some Muslim populations in the West Bank, under pressure, move away from certain areas like Hebron, move into other areas like Bethlehem. And there’s nowhere much else for Christian populations to go except away from Palestine.” [1]
In 1947, 20% of the total population of the Holy Land was Christian. Today, less than 1.3% of the total population of that troubled piece of real estate is Christian. Unless things change very soon, Holy Land churches will soon be nothing more than museums for the Christian Exodus coupled with their low birth rates may be the end of Christianity in the Holy Land.
In response to the Archbishops’ omissions, Rifat Odeh Kassis, Kairos Palestine Coordinator wrote:
“Your inaccurate and erroneous remarks cite Muslim extremism as the greatest threat facing Christians in Palestine and the primary reason for our emigration. Your statements about Bethlehem are particularly faulty and offensive especially when you say that the movement of Muslims into the Bethlehem area, where space is limited, is forcing Christians to leave.
“Equally shocking is how Your Grace managed, diplomatically –instead of being prophetic, as one would expect you to be, not to mention the Israeli occupation, the separation wall, Israel confiscation of Palestinian land, its policies that violate freedom of movement and worship (Palestinians in Bethlehem cannot, for instance, go to Jerusalem), or its brutal crackdowns on nonviolent protests as one of the major reasons that push not only Christians to emigrate, but also many other Palestinians.
Me at The Wall in Bethlehem, photo copyright Meir Vanunu
“We were hoping that Your Grace would have a different voice than the one in mass media and other right wing political parties, which exploit our sufferings to fuel some islamophobic tendencies and negative images about Islam. Indeed, this is what the Israeli occupation persistently tries to do. It demonizes Islam in a way that deflects blame from the repression levied by the state itself…in the Bethlehem area alone there are 19 illegal Israeli settlements (such as nearby Har Homa built on Jabal Abu Ghneim) and the wall that have devoured Christian lands and put Bethlehem in a chokehold…
“Since Your Grace did not meet or consult with any Palestinian Christians during your recent visit here, we are wondering why would you be suddenly interested to speak on our behalf? This troubles us…Finally, we would like to remind Your Grace that Christian Palestinians need advocates for the truth. It is the truth, and only the truth, that will lead to peace and justice in our home.” [2]
On my third of seven trips to Israel and Palestine since 2005, Hind Khoury, who was the delegate general of the Palestine Liberation Organization in France from 2006 through 2010, informed this reporter:
“The truth has been hidden, and it has been maneuvered by an oppressive and violent occupation.
“This occupation violates every single human right imaginable. Governments today are getting their own way to serve their own interests which are: money and power.
“It is ethnic cleansing that is happening in Jerusalem. Bethlehem is a ghetto, an island, an open-air prison! When the gate in Beit Jala is done, it will completely isolate Bethlehem from her sister city Jerusalem which is only three miles away.
“Before Hamas won the elections there were 370 checkpoints. There are now 25% more. Because of the moral bankruptcy of the PA, Hamas won the elections and they should not be feared. They have an open mind and open heart and many of them say: ‘Fight them with love.’
My view from a rooftop in Aida Camp, Bethlehem
“The International community put conditions on Hamas, but it is not about Israel’s existence we are speaking of, it is the existence of Palestine and Human Rights that must be addressed! The world is unbalanced and the polarization just increases the violence. Civil society must become responsible.”
In 2006, Reverend Chris Ferguson, Representative for the World Council of Churches said:
“I go to Bethlehem because of the Biblical injunction to visit the prisoners. In 2001, the World Council of Churches, the Middle East Council of Churches and others decided that the world ecumenical community was not doing enough about this conflict. Now, we have joined hands and are working together globally to mobilize the international society to demand policy change. The absence of settlers does not mean there is freedom in Gaza.”
He spoke those words seven months after the “Disengagement” in Gaza, which was nothing more than redeployment, for Israel has maintained total control and all access to Gaza by land, sea and air.
During the “disengagement” 25 of over 150 settlements were dismantled, and 8,475 of over 436,000 settlers [less than 2% of settlers] were evacuated.
As of October 2005, 12,800 new settlers had moved into the West Bank, which are 50% more settlers than were evacuated! Gaza is less than 6% of the Occupied Territories and that leaves 94% of Palestinian territories under the boot of the IDF.
During my 2006 visit to the Little Town of Bethlehem which is Occupied Territory, I met four of the newly elected members of Hamas, and for the fourth time I met the Mayor of Bethlehem, Victor Batarseh.
Mayor Batarseh spoke about the dire need for tourists and pilgrims to sleep and eat in Bethlehem for unemployment was well over 50% and the Bethlehem Municipality was borrowing money to pay its own employees.
The first time I met Mayer Batarseh was when he traveled to Orlando Florida, to meet with Mayor Buddy Dyer, with the hope to re-ignite The Twinning Agreement that was signed in May 2001 by the then Mayors of Bethlehem and Orlando.
The Twinning Agreement is a sister-pact that affirmed Orlando and Bethlehem would encourage tourism to the other and promote a global community.
I followed up on Mayor Batarseh’s visit with my own visit to Mayor Buddy Dyer’s office one week after the Mayors had met and I informed the Orlando Mayor’s public relations representative about an opportunity to help the city of Bethlehem. I was seeking the Mayors support in getting the word out about two events that were already scheduled and my involvement with Palestinian Children’s Welfare Fund which imported goods crafted by the artisans in Bethlehem that volunteers sold throughout the world and returned 100% of all proceeds back to the crafts people and helped support the children who endure in the refugee camps of the Holy Land.
Mayor Buddy Dyer did not even have the common courtesy to respond to any of my three follow up emails. I also informed The Orlando Sentinel about the opportunity for the Central Florida community to do something to make true the words of the Twinning Agreement without traveling all the way to the Little Town of Bethlehem in occupied territory. I got nowhere then, but I persist to be a voice of conscience.
During my March, 2006 trip to Bethlehem, Mayor Batarseh informed me:
“When the occupation is ended there will be peace. If the world boycotted Israel for six months they would comply with the UN Resolutions, which is all we want! There is state terrorism and Israel must be forced to recognize our right to exist. For the past ten years Hamas has worked with and helped the poorest of people, they have built schools and orphanages. The PA took the money but Hamas was providing the social services!
“Israel is a state built on religious beliefs. The US and EU and all the free world are against theocracies. But Israel has the right to do anything! The world needs to WAKE UP! If there is no peace in the Holy Land there can be no peace anywhere. End the occupation and there will be peace the very next day. All the terrorism in the world can be traced back to the Palestinian situation. All the money spent on weapons and war could eliminate world poverty.”
In 2006, I also met with four newly elected Hamas members but I still haven’t met any terrorists. Two had been elected to the Palestinian Parliament/PLC and two to the Municipality/local government. PLC Representative, Anwer M. Zboun, lives in the Abiet refugee camp and has a Masters Degree in Physics.
Zboun began with a smile and said, “We welcome you to our home and the Holy City of Bethlehem. We are suppose to be terrorists, are you afraid?
“We are a Palestinian resistance movement and we are not against any people. We are against the occupation. We want to rebuild what the occupation has destroyed. Hamas was born from the suffering of the Palestinian people and we belong to the global Muslim movement. It was on December 14, 1987 after an Israeli driver killed nine Palestinians that the first Intifada [uprising] began and the Islamic Resistance movement in Palestine was renamed Hamas.
“Hamas is a national liberation movement based on Sharia; Islamic Laws and Orders. Hamas is not against any religion. We are not a terrorist movement, but we resist the occupation. Christians voted for us for many reasons and they know we are faithful to this cause: that God knows better than we ourselves know what is for our benefit. We do not force anyone to believe as we do. The public and private schools both teach Islam and Christianity.
“In November 1988 Arafat issued a birth certificate for the Palestinian State and under religion he stated: ‘None.’ This is because we are a secular state. As Muslims and Christians we live together peacefully and our attitude is citizenship is for everyone. Everybody should have freedom of belief, traditions and a personal life. Hamas does not propose anything that contradicts Christianity.
“Our slogan is: Remove Suffering for everyone. The issue of Israel is about the occupation. We have no problems with religious beliefs; our problem is that Israel is illegally occupying our land. Since March 2005, we have honored a unilateral cease-fire. But Israel martyred 200 Palestinians, injured 1,200 and has detained 3,500. Many are under the age of sixteen. In the last two weeks Israel has killed twenty-five Palestinian and yet we have maintained the cease-fire. Israel does not recognize us and recognition takes both sides.
“Abbas has stated that we do recognize Israel, but there must be clear borders and Israel does not yet have them. The PA recognized Israel ten years ago but we Palestinians are detained in an open air prison. We resist the occupation, which is our right guaranteed under International Law. International Law demands Israel withdraw to the 1967 borders, release the prisoners, and stop the assassinations, illegal wall and home demolitions.
“Hamas defines terrorism as a violation of the rights of others and their property. Bush defined terrorism as evil. We are weak with resources and our voice is not heard in the West, only the voice of America and Israel gets press. America asked us to hold democratic elections and we did. We thank everyone who was involved in our transparent and democratic elections. We did what the USA asked and now they are punishing our people. Democracies are supposed to respect and not intervene in what others want.
“We had democratic and transparent elections and how are we rewarded? By the EU and the USA who have cut funds to the poorest of people who live under occupation. Hamas suggested that the International community monitor all the financial aid to assure that it went to the people and not to Hamas. We offered this suggestion to the world and we have been ignored.
“So now we look to the Arab and Muslim world to strengthen our local infrastructure and economy and hope to bring back investors. We know there are people in Europe and America who will not allow us to go hungry. We believe aid and support are in Gods hands and not governments.”
On 15 March 2006, I was in Nazareth and learned from Fuad Farah, Board member of Sabeel and the Chairman of the Orthodox National Council in Israel, that “90% of Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land, never even meet any Palestinian Christians!
“No Christians can live here anymore. They fled in ‘48 and their homes were destroyed in the ‘50’s for the settlers. Christians once were 20% of the total population of the Holy land, today we are less than 2% and maybe in thirty years there will be no Christians here if things do not change soon. There are more Christians in India and Syria than there are in the Holy Land!
“The reasons are many and include our low birth rate, migration due to lack of economic opportunities especially for the most highly educated, Muslim and Jewish fundamentalism, land confiscation and now Nazareth has become a retirement community because our young people all leave!”
I imagine if I were a young Palestinian with an opportunity to leave that troubled land; I would too and Palestinians all tell me that is exactly what the Israeli government hopes for!
In 2006, I also met BADIL [Arabic for Alternative] Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugee Rights.
The Founder, Muhammed Jaradat, grinned as he said, “I learned to speak English in prison, I was arrested first at 13 years old and spent a total of 5 ½ years in prison because I was a peace activist. I was arrested for winning a high school student union election in my village and charged with terrorism!”
“They said I was a gangster that I was against Israeli rights, but justice for Palestinians means justice for Israelis too! The issue of the right to return is the ultimate issue. The refugee issue is the core issue and since 1948, 800,000 Palestinians have been evicted from their homes and their families land.
“Two-thirds of Palestinian people are refugees. A democracy is supposed to be that the majority rules. But we have been told to SHUT UP about the refugee issue. If you really want to solve a problem you must attack the roots and that leads to the refugee issue.
“International Law, the Declaration of Human Rights and UN Resolutions all affirm the rights of refugees. For 57 years and 157 times the UN General Assembly has affirmed the right for refugees to return home, resettle with compensation or to choose a new country.
“The Israelis claim there is not enough room in the Holy Land but according to their own documentation in 2000, 86% of Israeli Jews live on 15% of Israel proper. 90% of state land is Palestinian land! The problem is not that there is not enough room, the problem is racism. I was born here but I am not a citizen of any country. They can revoke my residency at any moment.
“From 1989 to 1993 Israel absorbed 1.1 million new immigrants from the former Soviet Union who have illegally settled in the West Bank and Gaza. Historic Palestine is 26,000 square kilometers, about the size of Texas. The separation mentality has been at work since the 1930’s. Uniting this country with universal and basic human rights is the only way to success in the future. Israel has built the facts on the ground to not have two states. We are not stupid, we live under the harshest of conditions and we have survived. We have been divided into 28 different countries but we are united on the goal to achieve our human rights.
“The future depends on what happens to Palestinians and we are the legal owners of this land and Israel needs to get its nose down and realize they are living in the Arab world. Christian Zionists are the most destructive group of all and they want Israel to use their bomb. Who will they destroy? They will destroy themselves. The Dimona reactor is leaking and will cost more to remove than it did to build.” [3]
But that is another story that I told in BEYOND NUCLEAR: Mordechai Vanunu’s FREEDOM of SPEECH Trial and My Life as a Muckraker: 2005-2010
- Christians in the middle east archbishop on world at one
- Kairos Palestine letter to Dr Rowan Williams, Archbishop of canterbury-London
- “Memoirs of a Nice Irish American ‘Girl’s’ Life in Occupied Territory” by Eileen Fleming
Short URL: http://www.veteranstoday.com/?p=116396
Posted by Eileen Fleming on Jun 21 2011, With 0 Reads, Filed under Editors Picks, Israel, Palestine, World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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Khazars make Exodus to Khazaria [http://www.birobidjan.co.uk/] Zionazi Psychozoids need to stop serving the Synagogue of Satan…”TALMUDIC TERRORISTS” and find some Truth and a backbone [http://www.palestine-encyclopedia.com/EPP/TOC.htm] – Ashkenazim PROSELYTES to Talmudic Judaism are not Hebrews nor Semitic, Nor from the Tribe of Judah, Joe Bob sez check it out.. [http://disc.yourwebapps.com/discussion.cgi?id=149495;article=137519]…Good Piece. Thanks.
[...] Source [...]
What a Disgrace you are, “Your Grace”.
Second that Garibaldi…
What is a disgrace is willful ignorance and collusion in supporting an ideology of superiority and neglecting that Jesus promised it is the PEACEMAKERS who are God’s children-NOT those that bomb, torture or occupy others!
Eileen, I appreciate your post, but as a former brought up Catholic, that now only believes in God, Only! What Jejus said is a full on myth… Keep up the good fight…Yet I like what you are trying to say…
We be all good little boys and girls and not offend the zionists for fear of been called nazis and anti semitics.
This so called christian is a disgrace to true christians all over the world. He should hang his head in shame for not pointing the finger at the zionists who have fermented nothing but trouble in the ME.
Eric, he reminded me of those Imbecile Losers, Christian Leaders in support of Adolph…I won’t say shit because they have not come for me…(Paraphrased)
Eileen:
Try not to waste your time responding to anonymous talmudic cowards (redundant) such as this “Garibaldi” charlatan . . . nothing of substance, nothing on-point, just adolescent “God’s chosen people” psychosis.
Unfortunately, sincere people such as Jack Bernstein discovered all too late what these “Give us Barabbus” Garibaldi-types are really about:
http://www.wake-up-america.net/AN%20AMERICAN%20JEW%20IN%20RACIST%20MARXIST%20ISRAEL.htm
“GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE
The American people have been led to believe that Jews are “God’s Chosen People.” This MYTH was started by a small group of Jews. A few Jewish leaders took excerpts from the Bible and interpreted them to mean that God designated them as “Chosen People.” But, isn’t it odd that it is not the religious Jews who claim to be “God’s Chosen People.” It is the atheistic non-believing Jews who claim that honor.
Leading the cry, “We are God’s Chosen People” are the Zionist/Marxist (Ashkenazi) Jews who for POLITICAL purposes chose Judaism and who DON’T HAVE A DROP OF BIBLICAL JEWISH BLOOD IN THEM.
One Israeli religious Jew said it well, “At one time we Jews were chosen by God TO BE HIS MESSENGERS. But, long ago we forfeited that right.”
Anyone who has read the Bible with an open mind knows that God gave Jews OF THAT TIME special favors. But, it was in the form of covenants. In these covenants were conditions — the conditions were that God demanded the Jews obey his word. Time after time the Jews broke the covenants. They rejected God and turned to adoring mammon. It doesn’t take a biblical scholar to realize that long ago EVEN THE REAL JEWS lost the right to be God’s chosen people.
In comparing the degree to which the followers of the three major religions practice their beliefs, I make this observation:
JUDAISM — Few Jews, Sephardic or Ashkenazi, are religious. This is true in America, in Israel and world-wide.
CHRISTIANITY — The Christian religion has felt the influence of Jewish meddling and infiltration (especially in America) resulting in confusion and bickering between the various Christian denominations. This has led to a “luke warm” attitude among most Christians toward their religion. There is evidence to prove that Jews, or one of their many fronts, have started many of the Christian denominations and thus dominate doctrine.
ISLAM — Moslems, who follow the teachings of Islam, are by far the most fervent of the three major religions in following their religious beliefs.
The JUDEO-CHRISTIAN ethic we hear so much about in America is a big joke — the result of an intense Zionist propaganda campaign.
I’ll toss in one last thought about the “God’s Chosen People myth.” God said, “Beware of those who call themselves Jews and are not, for they lie.” (Rev. 2:9; 3:9) COULD IT BE THE ASHKENAZI JEWS ARE THE PEOPLE TO WHOM GOD WAS REFERRING?”
—
Paul V, at this point, I will lay my money on Garibaldi for this moment, and flush you-then raise you Two…I hear too much Christian BULLSHIT coming from your post! Sorry can’t handle the Bullshit. God said none of this SHIT! That is FO Rizzle! You figure it out! Why are you losers so afraid to live in ISRAEL!!?-I know why.
You’re preaching to the choir, Paul. Guess I better go burn my Talmud now. Should I piss on it first?
The only “holy land” is the land where there is no Big,(banks and corporations) that want to be lord over everything. Most folks know that all of the mythical gods that are stuffed down our throat are just methods to control people for elite power and wealth gain.
[...] Story here [...]
Eileen, lets hope that your Jack Nicholson, Joker Smile, and your crazy eyes are legitimate. Don’t ever turn…
=Or forever reap the benefits…of disdain…Welcome for now. More proving of yourself…
When the Total World population of Jews reaches 30 million and as the Talmud states 20 servants (gentiles) each Jew shall have, then the Georgian Guidestone will have it’s 600 million. I wonder how they will kill off the rest of us.
In an email from Francis A. Boyle, Professor of International Law he wrote:
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Israel, Palestine and American Christian Hypocrites
It was December of 1991 and I was serving as Legal Advisor to the Palestinian Delegation to the Middle East Peace Negotiations in Washington DC. The Israelis were stalling,not even negotiating in bad faith, and the Americans under Baker and Ross were doing nothing to get the negotiations started.
This had been going on for 3 weeks and Christmas was fast approaching. Those of us on the Palestinian Team who were Christian were wondering if we were going to be able to get home for Christmas–many Palestinians are Christian, the original Christians, going back to Jesus Christ and the Apostles themselves. I would periodically check in with my wife and 2 sons at the time–little boys. My poor, sweet wife had to do all the Christmas preparations by herself without me.
So the weekend before Christmas I called her up to say I still did not know if or when I would be coming home. My oldest son who had just turned 5 talked to me on the phone:
“Daddy why aren’t you home for Christmas?”
“Well son, I’m trying to help the Palestinians.”
“Daddy, why are you doing that?”
Hard to explain the entire Middle East conflict to a 5 year old, so I put it into terms he could understand:
“Son, you know that Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem don’t you?”
“Yes Daddy.”
“Well I am here with the Mayor of Bethlehem and some other Palestinian leaders. They are my friends and I am their lawyer. I am working with the Mayor of Bethlehem to help all the Palestinian Children have a merry Christmas.”
“Ok Daddy.”
We got the word we could go home for Christmas on December 23 and I got on the first flight out of DC. getting home just on time for Christmas Eve with my family.
Periodically I had attended UCC Christmas Season Church Services in town with my family. When it came time for prayers from the congregation, I always got up and asked everyone to help the Palestinians along the following lines: “…Bethlehem is cut-off and surrounded by the Israeli army–the Church of the Nativity too. The Israelis are inflicting ethnic cleansing upon all the Palestinian, both Muslims and Christians. They are also pursuing a policy of deliberately forcing Palestinian Christians out of Palestine as part of a perverse strategy to turn a war of national liberation into a religious crusade, figuring it would play better in the United States. And these are the original Christians, going back to Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Meanwhile, the United States government is financing it all to the tune of $5 billion per year. Everyone in this Congregation has gifts given to them by God. So go out and do something to help the Palestinians!”
Despite my best efforts over many years, that UCC Congregation refused to lift one finger to help the Palestinians. So several years ago, I quit their Congregation and severed all ties with them. They are just a gang of moral cowards and hypocrites. They have nothing to teach me or anyone else about Christianity, let alone about peace, justice and human rights. They constitute the paradigmatic example of what the anti-Nazi martyr and pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer called Cheap Grace
Francis A. Boyle, Champlaign, IL.
Professor of International Law
Legal Advisor to the Palestinian Delegation to the
Middle East Peace Negotiations (1991-93)
Perhaps the Bishop is linked to this outfit.
http://www.anglicanfriendsofisrael.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
However the church is no longer the power it used to be and as part of the treacherous communitarian agenda being inflicted on society worldwide by the Zionists the bishop will be even less relevant.
More dangerous to our collective future are the apparently divided loyalties of the likes of Cameron.
For those spiritual and those not, the words of the Bible contain common sense and truth. Take for instance the simple words of advice that “No man can serve two masters – for he will love one and despise the other.”
Just how then can the British Prime Minister vow to serve both Britain and Israel? Could it now be that David Cameron’s blatant and accelerating dismantling of the British nation, its Constitution, defence, values, morality, history and customs is a sign that he has come to despise the British?
BRITAIN OR ISRAEL ? WHICH IS IT MR CAMERON ?
http://www.ukcolumn.org/articles/britain-or-israel
Couldn’t the title also be “Jews Flee Arab World in Mass Modern Day Exodus” since there used to be around 1 million Jews in the Arab World (Middle East and North Africa) and now there are only around 5000 left (or Palestinians Flee Palestine in Mass Modern Day Exodus)? Bethlehem was originally a more Jewish town than a Christian one (Saul, David) just like Hebron was originally a more Jewish town than a Muslim one (Abraham, Isaac) that were gradually taken over. From a historic and religious point of view some Jews may think that the Christians and Muslims stole their God, Prophets, Scriptures, Holy Land, People, Culture, etc. over time. Others might argue that you can’t really steal Almighty and Immortal God from anyone, but then neither can God really be killed and/or die too. In human history whether political or religious, the old and older is replaced by the new and newer and each older or newer in the point of succession or change tends to resent and dislike the one replacing it and/or the one that is being replaced by it. God is the only unchanged constant, but humanity’s view of God has been changing from the very beginning.
Jews never fled Arab lands. They answered a call, mainly, by the illegal immigrant Zionists in Palestine because not enough Ashkenaz (European) Jews went (they prefered to go West). I am willing to bet they would still be in Arab lands if Zionism just never came into being. Palestine belongs to the Palestinians whatever their persuasion. Illegal immigrant jews should return from whence they came if they do not want to assimilate
Rewriting history again Drek? Divert, revise, deny.
These Jews should still actually be in Arab lands if the Arabs did not equate Zionism with Judaism which they still do under the table without admitting it since when they were not able to deal with Zionists in the battle field, they would take it out on the local Jews instead who were easier targets. The only problem was that these Jews lived in these Arab lands very long before Zionism made its appearance. I don’t buy that Anti-Zionist vs Anti-Jewish divide due to the fact that bad monstrous desecrations of old Jewish holy sites occurred in the Old City of Jerusalem between 1948-1967 when it was under Trans-Jordanian control. Such things should not occur in such a religious holy city.