Netanyahu: Abbas is the One Changing Status Quo on Temple Mount by Gil Ronen Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu charged Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas Tuesday with changing the status quo on the Temple Mount by opposing Jews right to enter it, and said that “the ancient City of David, like the Land of Israel, is simply erased by the Palestinians from their history books.” In a speech broadcast to the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly, Netanyahu said the following: As we work to prevent the ultimate danger of a nuclear-armed Iran, we must also act forcefully to confront Palestinian terrorism and incitement. In recent weeks, we have seen a dramatic rise in terrorist attacks against Jews across the country, including here in Jerusalem. These attacks have been accompanied by a systemic campaign of incitement, including libels about Israel trying to change the status quo on the Temple Mount and even wild allegations that we are planning to destroy Muslim holy sites. These are false accusations. They’re absolute fabrications. Israel is fully committed to the status quo. [youtube:195751] The prime minister gave specific examples of the incitement against Israel by the PA, but did not specify what he intends to do about it. Last week, I spoke to King Abdullah of Jordan, and I reiterated Israels commitment to maintain the religious status quo on the Temple Mount. I will continue to make every effort to restore calm, to restore quiet and security, so that all may enjoy the religious freedom guaranteed by Israeli law. But I regret to say that the Palestinian Authority, which should also be working to calm tensions, has joined Hamas and other radical Islamists in fanning the flames. President Abbas himself called on Palestinians to prevent Jews from entering the Temple Mount. He used the words: “by any means possible.” See, this – the Temple Mount, the holiest place in Judaism, where Jews have visited peacefully for years – President Abbas says we should not set foot there. That’s changing the status quo. President Abbas publicly praised the Islamic Jihad terrorist who tried to murder Rabbi Yehuda Glick, declaring that the would-be assassin would, and here’s his quote: “would go to heaven as a martyr defending the rights of our people and its holy places.” That’s the end of the quote. And just today President Abbas accused Jews of “contaminating,” his word – contaminating the Temple Mount. Once again, this incitement to violence is coupled with revisionist history intended to delegitimize the Jewish people and the Jewish state. The official Facebook page of Fatah, just turn it on, you’ll see it, you have to Google this to believe this. The official Facebook page of Fatah denies that the Jewish people have any connection to the Temple Mount or that there was ever a Temple Mount at all – a temple on the Temple Mount. Jerusalem, the ancient City of David, like the Land of Israel, is simply erased by the Palestinians from their history books. Unfortunately, the international community does not hold the Palestinians responsible for this sort of incitement and denial of history, and I think that’s tragic, because these distortions and this incitement are so corrosive to the effort to reach a genuine peace. Rather than help advance peace, many in the international community are setting back the cause of peace by convincing Palestinians that they can have a state without making peace with Israel. Recognizing a Palestinian state without demanding an end to the Palestinian Authoritys pact with Hamas, an internationally recognized terrorist organization is absurd. Recognizing a Palestinian nation-state without demanding that the Palestinians recognize the nation-state of the Jewish people is unjust. Recognizing a Palestinian state without demanding an end to incitement in official Palestinian media and schools is reckless. And recognizing a Palestinian state without demanding robust security arrangements to enable Israel to protect itself and the peace, that is dangerous. [youtube:195752] Netanyahu reiterated his pleas for peace. If the issue of Palestinian statehood is brought before the UN Security Council outside the context of a peace agreement with Israel, this should be flatly rejected. If any one-sided anti-Israel resolution is brought before that council, it should be vigorously opposed. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict will not be solved by exploiting the automatic anti-Israel majorities in the UN bodies. You can pass anything there. But that is not the way to achieve peace. The only way to peace is through direct negotiations that address all the core issues. Israel is ready for these negotiations; Israel is ready for peace; I am ready for peace. But it must be a genuine peace, a durable peace, and for that, we must have a Palestinian partner who is committed to forging such a genuine peace – a partner who is prepared to confront terrorism and end incitement; a partner who is prepared to recognize the nation-state of the Jewish people; a partner who is prepared to address Israel’s legitimate security concerns seriously; a partner who wants a Palestinian state not to continue the conflict with Israel, but to end it once and for all. [youtube:195753]
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 16:12:35 +0000
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