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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Iran: 'jerusalem' Conference Kicks Off In Tehran

2006-04-15

Iran's supreme leader, Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, on Friday opened an international conference on the future of the Palestinians and Jerusalem, which is expected to be dominated by anti-Israel statements reflecting Iran's hardline position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. More than 600 delegates from 50 countries, including many parliamentary speakers are expected to attend the event which lasts through Sunday. "One of the main issues to be discussed is the safeguard of Islam's sacred sites in occupied Jerusalem," former Iranian interior minister, Ali Akbar Mohtashamipour, said in an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI). "For 50 years the Israelis have tried to destroy all traces of Islam in this city (Jerusalem)," said Mohtashamipour, who is also founder of the Association for the Defence of the Palestinian People, which is organising the Tehran conference.

Mohtashamipour, denied any connection between statements by Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, calling for Israel's destruction, and the decision to hold the conference in Iran's capital. "This conference was planned 10 months ago before President Ahmadinejad's remarks on Israel and the Holocaust," he said referring to the Iranian president's assertion that the Nazi mass murder of Jews during World War II never took place. "The issue of the Holocaust will be dealt with in another conference to be organised by the Islamic Republic's Foreign Ministry," he said.

Posted by:Fred

#14 well and all that about end times and rebuilding the temple...I mean, how long could the leases be for? Ypu'd never get your capital stake back...

:-)

Posted by: Frank G 2006-04-15 18:18

#13 What NS said. TW? LH?

Posted by: 6 2006-04-15 16:32

#12 I thought it was because in Babylon they found out where YHWH really resides. Too bad LH doesn't stop by as often to clear this up.

Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-04-15 16:02

#11 bk, part of the reason that they never rebuilt the temple is because of the mosques that are built on ground the temple used to stand on, I guess you could say they'd get another global jihad slapped on to the previous one that wants to wipe them out.

Posted by: Valentine 2006-04-15 15:58

#10 it'll never happen, the Jews in Israel know the historical importance of what they've got. though it is interesting that they never did rebuild the temple... musings aside, we will have to wait for them to make a move, its their country, we just provide for it.

Posted by: bk 2006-04-15 15:35

#9 bk: And what, exactly, would happen if Israel said otherwise?

In their shoes, I would boot out ALL other religions and raze every single holy site that wasn't expressly Jewish. I would do it quickly and definitively, leaving not a scrap of evidence behind.

No mosques, no churches, nada. Leave no trace of anything to be remembered or rebuilt.

And as soon as it was done, build large, modern, permanent edifices in their place. And every one of them ordinary, secular buildings. All with deep basements, to eliminate the chance of buried artificts.

Only once you had eliminated every physical reason for other religions to be there, and established Israel as a Jewish, yet secular state, could you invite other religions back in.

The concept is to cut them off from any historical connection to the land, in any other than an abstract way. Have no relic of the past specifically for their religion. This does not prohibit their beliefs, it just returns the sacred to the realm of the abstract.

Not ironically, the Wahabbis do much the same in the lands where they dominate, abhorring artifacts and physical records. They have gone so far as to destroy the birthplace of Mohammed, and to purge Mecca and Medina of "relics" of that age.

If, in Jerusalem, or all of Israel, for that matter, they find valuable historical-religious artifacts, they should box them up and ship them to wherever they would be appreciated. If the Vatican is willing to pay the expense of buying, tearing down, and rebuilding the Church of the Sephulcre in Italy, well, good for them.

No reason to destroy it. Just break its connection with Israel. Sell it to museums, research facilities, other religions. If it has an intrinsic value, that will remain. Just not its connection to the place.

Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-04-15 14:42

#8 like it or not Jerusalem is Jewish, Christian, AND Muslim.

Posted by: bk 2006-04-15 14:04

#7 Israel may yet do this.

Posted by: Thinemp Whimble2412 2006-04-15 12:20

#6 I agree that it is an Israeli malady to try to use gradualism and persuasion when neither are appropriate. Had they razed any trace of Islam in Jerusalem all those years ago, and even rebuilt their Temple, how would things be worse today?

No one who hates them would hate them any the less, and the US would be none the less friendly to them.

In fact, they should have done the obvious and expelled all Moslems, perhaps even all non-Jews, from the entire country. Sure, there would have been weeping and wailing and bloviating, but Israel could have stood firm through all these years, and said, "We refuse admission to any Muslim in our country. They are your fellows, you take care of them. They are not our concern."

If you think it improbable, look at Saudi Arabia, which does that now, and how so few objections are ever raised at its bitter bigotries.

Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-04-15 11:32

#5 I'd like a list of those 50 countries...

Posted by: Danking70 2006-04-15 10:59

#4 For 1400 years, you have preached this false religion that has taken over the world (Islam).

Now it is time for Israel to expel all adherents of this false religion. Expunge it like the sewer it is. It is an enemy to civilization. ALL OF IT.

Posted by: newc 2006-04-15 08:30

#3 When Moshe Dyan took jerusalem during the six day war he was urged to destroy the Al Aksa mosque and expell the arabs from the west bank, he didn't, in retrospect he may of been too soft hearted.

Posted by: pihkalbadger 2006-04-15 06:13

#2 Sounds like a target rich environment to me.....

Did anyone notice the keyword ocupied Jerusalem?

Posted by: CrazyFool 2006-04-15 05:02

#1 For 50 years the Israelis have tried to destroy all traces of Islam in this city (Jerusalem)

These people are selfparodies. If Israel wanted to purge all traces of Islam in Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aksa mosque would be history and the Third Temple would be rising on Temple Mount. It amazes me that the Jews continue to tolerate the nonsense from the Waaf.

Posted by: RWV 2006-04-15 02:14

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