Islamic Flags over the Temple Mount / by Nathan Ron
These are very difficult days for us in Israel. There is a danger of war here, but still many of us believe in peace. Here is an article I wrote about Jewish- Arab co-
operation during the 1st crusade. Please tell me what you think of it.
Islamic Flags over the Temple Mount / by Nathan RonIn these turbulent days when Jerusalem is the heart of the Arab-Jewish conflict, Jews consider it one Israeli wholly and undividable city, while Moslems claim the eastern part as their Capital wishing to raise their flags on the Temple Mount, it is worthwhile to recall the days when Jews and Moslems fought and fell side by side, defending Jerusalem from a common enemy.
It was July 7th 1099. Morning broke and shed light over the ridge of Nebi-Samuel on which the crowded crusaders watched, for the first time, the holy city.
Their desired destiny, the church of the holy sepulcher, was barely seen among the many houses, domes and minarets surrounded by wall. A wave of messianic
enthusiasm swept over the camp. The crusaders went on their knees, tears in their eyes, saying their prayers. At that hour they saw themselves as the
Children of Israel who were about to inherit the promised land. The crusaders were to fulfill a generations dream, to take the city from the Moslems and to raise the
flag of the cross over the church of the holy sepulcher. The boundaries of the city those days were only slightly different from the wall surrounded city of nowadays.
The city population reached, according to an accepted evaluation, the number of twenty thousand. Iphtichar Adula, the Arab commander of Jerusalem, strengthened
the city's fortifications, increased its amounts of supplies and expelled the Christian inhabitants, fearing that they will betray him and join his enemies.
Contrary to that, the Jews remained , and just as the Moslems, were put in charge of defending a part of the wall. This was the northern wall, that touched the
Jewish quarter of the city.
The Jewish settlement in Jerusalem, which was forbidden during Roman and Byzantine times, was renewed with the coming of the Moslems to Jerusalem in the 7th
century. Under Moslem rule the Jews developed prosperous commercial and religious life. Jews had their shops in the market. Banking and money exchange were in Jewish hands. Jews were engaged also in the industries of linen painting and tanning. Copying of Jewish holy scriptures and selling them to Jewish communities
abroad was also a Jewish occupation. The " Yeshiva of Eretz Israel" ( the Jewish religious academy of the land of Israel) was very active for a long time in Jerusalem
and Jewish communities all over Europe and North Africa obeyed its religious rules and verdicts.
All this was now under the threat of the European troops, 1200 equestrians and 12000 foot soldiers.
July 15th 1099 , after a siege that lasted 5 weeks, the forces of Geoffrey De Buyon managed to draw their tower near the wall and to set up a bridge on which the
The crusaders broke in the city. The Jews and the Moslems withdrew towards the temple mount. There they probably thought to stand and fight a last battle,
but the way was blocked by the crusaders. The Jews went into their synagogues to call down their father in heaven. The crusaders set fire to the synagogues.
The Jews were burned alive while crying out to their god. The crusaders butchered the people of Jerusalem for two days. The massacre was only similar to the one
done by the Romans in the city some thousand years ago. There were hardly any Moslems left alive. The Jews that survived were sold to slavery.
A new chapter in the history of Jerusalem began : The Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. The new law forbade the return of Moslems and Jews in the city, but not for long.
Less than ninety years later, Salah-A-Din, the Moslem leader, won a crucial battle over the crusaders(1187), and Islamic rule in Jerusalem was reinstated.
The Jews were again allowed to settle in Jerusalem. Except a short period of time in the 13th century, Moslems ruled Jerusalem up to the end of WW I, during which
the Jewish settlement in Jerusalem co-existed with Moslems.
A conclusion can be drawn : The raising of Islamic flags over the mosques of the Temple Mount, if it happens again, will not necessarily bring about the end of
Jewish life in Eastern Jerusalem. The experience of Jewish-Arab co-existence during the centuries should be learned, remembered and followed.
.
Islamic Flags over the Temple Mount / by Nathan RonIn these turbulent days when Jerusalem is the heart of the Arab-Jewish conflict, Jews consider it one Israeli wholly and undividable city, while Moslems claim the eastern part as their Capital wishing to raise their flags on the Temple Mount, it is worthwhile to recall the days when Jews and Moslems fought and fell side by side, defending Jerusalem from a common enemy.
It was July 7th 1099. Morning broke and shed light over the ridge of Nebi-Samuel on which the crowded crusaders watched, for the first time, the holy city.
Their desired destiny, the church of the holy sepulcher, was barely seen among the many houses, domes and minarets surrounded by wall. A wave of messianic
enthusiasm swept over the camp. The crusaders went on their knees, tears in their eyes, saying their prayers. At that hour they saw themselves as the
Children of Israel who were about to inherit the promised land. The crusaders were to fulfill a generations dream, to take the city from the Moslems and to raise the
flag of the cross over the church of the holy sepulcher. The boundaries of the city those days were only slightly different from the wall surrounded city of nowadays.
The city population reached, according to an accepted evaluation, the number of twenty thousand. Iphtichar Adula, the Arab commander of Jerusalem, strengthened
the city's fortifications, increased its amounts of supplies and expelled the Christian inhabitants, fearing that they will betray him and join his enemies.
Contrary to that, the Jews remained , and just as the Moslems, were put in charge of defending a part of the wall. This was the northern wall, that touched the
Jewish quarter of the city.
The Jewish settlement in Jerusalem, which was forbidden during Roman and Byzantine times, was renewed with the coming of the Moslems to Jerusalem in the 7th
century. Under Moslem rule the Jews developed prosperous commercial and religious life. Jews had their shops in the market. Banking and money exchange were in Jewish hands. Jews were engaged also in the industries of linen painting and tanning. Copying of Jewish holy scriptures and selling them to Jewish communities
abroad was also a Jewish occupation. The " Yeshiva of Eretz Israel" ( the Jewish religious academy of the land of Israel) was very active for a long time in Jerusalem
and Jewish communities all over Europe and North Africa obeyed its religious rules and verdicts.
All this was now under the threat of the European troops, 1200 equestrians and 12000 foot soldiers.
July 15th 1099 , after a siege that lasted 5 weeks, the forces of Geoffrey De Buyon managed to draw their tower near the wall and to set up a bridge on which the
The crusaders broke in the city. The Jews and the Moslems withdrew towards the temple mount. There they probably thought to stand and fight a last battle,
but the way was blocked by the crusaders. The Jews went into their synagogues to call down their father in heaven. The crusaders set fire to the synagogues.
The Jews were burned alive while crying out to their god. The crusaders butchered the people of Jerusalem for two days. The massacre was only similar to the one
done by the Romans in the city some thousand years ago. There were hardly any Moslems left alive. The Jews that survived were sold to slavery.
A new chapter in the history of Jerusalem began : The Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. The new law forbade the return of Moslems and Jews in the city, but not for long.
Less than ninety years later, Salah-A-Din, the Moslem leader, won a crucial battle over the crusaders(1187), and Islamic rule in Jerusalem was reinstated.
The Jews were again allowed to settle in Jerusalem. Except a short period of time in the 13th century, Moslems ruled Jerusalem up to the end of WW I, during which
the Jewish settlement in Jerusalem co-existed with Moslems.
A conclusion can be drawn : The raising of Islamic flags over the mosques of the Temple Mount, if it happens again, will not necessarily bring about the end of
Jewish life in Eastern Jerusalem. The experience of Jewish-Arab co-existence during the centuries should be learned, remembered and followed.
.
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