By James Wilson
The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem – chief Muslim cleric in the Holy Land – declares there has never been a Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount. He claims the Eighth Century Al Aqsa Mosque has been atop the mount since the world began, built by Adam himself, or by angels; he is not sure which.
Never mind the Temple of Solomon is documented a thousand years ago, followed by Herod’s replacement. Never mind its western wall remains. Forget a revelation from God is free of confusion – not sure if it was Adam or angels? This is the Mufti appointed by Palestinian President Abbas; we recognize the lunacy of the Palestine Liberation Organization. This is the same Abbas who claims Israel executed a thirteen-year-old terrorist who is actually recovering from wounds in hospital. There is no negotiating with such people until they surrender.
Muslim lunacy is not limited to Palestinians. Israel’s judo team is denied visas to attend the International Judo Federation Grand Slam in Abu Dhabi. Team members include former women’s world champion Yarden Gerbi and reigning European men’s champion Sagi Muki. The best are barred from competing soley because they are Israeli. The United Arab Emirates says Israel is not a country and so trumps the International Olympic Committee with hatred for all Jews.
Not all Muslims in authority are petty and vicious. Israel was barred from competition in Rabat, Morocco, by a so-called moderate Muslim government eager to curry favor with militants. The Morocco Judo Federation intervened in support of the Israeli team and they are permitted to compete. But these incidents express the textbook model of the bully – an entity poorly equipped to compete and therefore determined to cancel the competition and declare itself the winner.
Israel is the only Middle Eastern nation with a thriving economy for all. It is the only democracy and the only nuclear power – so far. Israel is the nation that makes its deserts and its swamps bloom with equal panache, and the only nation in the region ready to place its technology at the disposal of its neighbors – in times of disaster and in pursuit of national vision. People of reason and decency should support a nation seeking to bless as it is blessed – in keeping with Zechariah 8:9-17.
Reason and decency are not to be – not today. In October the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) approved a resolution in which it lists Rachel’s Tomb (wife of the Hebrew Patriarch Jacob) and the Cave of the Patriarchs as Islamic sites. Laurie Cardoza-Moore, President of Proclaiming Justice to the Nations reacts to the UNESCO resolution with, “The Islamists through organizations like UNESCO…are trying to rewrite documented archeological history…recognized for thousands of years.” She adds, “They are no different than ISIS which physically…destroys historical evidence. We are watching UNESCO through what we call disinformation destroy the Jewish and Israelite connection historically to these holy sites and to this land.” For so-called scientists they are also acting like morons.
The cynic will always say the winners write the history, and there is some truth here. But there are few precedents for the clear historical losers to write the history as these people who have lost five wars of extermination against Israel are doing. The nearest antecedent would be Hitler’s Germany, telling her own people and the world that the Jews made them lose the Great War. But then, the grandfather of the current Grand Mufti sat out the Second World War as Hitler’s guest and student.
Cardoza-Moore notes some Muslim leaders claim Jesus was Palestinian. “This is absolutely absurd because Jesus was an orthodox Jew…who kept the commandments.” What should the rest of us do with losers who re-write history?
We do not treat the Mufti as Chamberlain treated his spiritual grandfather, Adolph Hitler. We let him – and UNESCO – know they will receive respect for their point of view once they adopt a respectable point of view. We halt subsidies to the PLO, UNESCO and Hamas. We demand leaders who stand up to the bullies – all kinds – and if we cannot get them we march to their offices and paralyze their operations with sixties-style sit-ins until they grow some courage. We release the incredible oil, gas and mineral reserves recently discovered in our country this past decade so the oil powers cannot intimidate us.
After that – and only after that – we remember that Jesus who is also Yeshua came that we might have life (John 10:10) and that abundantly. We remember that offer is as open to Muslims and muftis as to the rest of us. And we rejoice at His peace.
James A. Wilson is the author of Living As Ambassadors of Relationships and The Holy Spirit and the End Times – available at local bookstores or by e-mailing him at
praynorthstate@charter.net
