The famed Islamic tolerance for other religions reared its ugly face in Nablus last night, when Joseph’s Tomb—a place supposedly sacred to Islam as well as to Judaism—was vandalized. Since Nablus is in the West Bank, and there are no Jews in Nablus, the perpetrators are pretty easy to figure out.
Upon entering the tomb they found it had been defaced – the headstone smashed and swastikas sprayed on the walls, as well as graffiti of a blood-dripping sward over a Star of David, and another “trampled” by a boot.
Some reported seeing visible boot prints all over the compounds, which they claim are consistent with the Palestinian police standard issue boots.
The timing of the vandalization makes it highly likely it was done specifically for this reason:
Hundreds of Jewish worshipers who arrived at Joseph’s Tomb in the West Bank city of Nablus overnight were stunned to find the compound severely vandalized – yet again.
[…] Wednesday night’s visit was approved by the proper military authorities and the IDF provided the worshippers with an escort. The group which entered the compound was made up of some 500 people.
The Palestinian Muslims have no intention of respecting Jewish holy sites. The Jordanians didn’t when they controlled west Jerusalem. The Palestinians have desecrated Joseph’s Tomb time and time again.
This is not a people interested in living “side by side, in peace” with Israelis. Or at least, not with the Jewish—and Christian—Israelis.
You will see no word of this on the AP wires. Count on it.
It’s 10:17AM in NYC and so far you are right. The story has run only on the JTA.
I just can’t understand why they treat Jewish shrines like that..
Jewish writes, “I just can’t understand why they treat Jewish shrines like that..” Quite simply, it’s because we’re deemed “unbelievers”, unworthy of respect. Islam has a long history of disrespect toward the sacred sites of others, be they Jewish, Christian, Hindu, Budhist or Zoroastrian. In some cases, they rededicate them as Muslim sites, as in the cases of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem and Hagia Sophia in Constantinople/Istanbul. More often, they simply destroy them.
Big Guy upstairs is going to get really even with whomever did that.
I’s like to think so, but at times like this, I’d like to actually see some justice, not just have faith that the Man Upstairs will dispense it in his own particular way.