Crying at the wrong wall

Standing shoulder-to-shoulder, Muslims and Christians from Jerusalem and the occupied territories demonstrated their unity, solidarity and a deeply rooted national identity that transcends religious differences.

Muslims and Christians in Amman and other major cities stood as one coherent solid line in an expression of anger and resentment over the killing of two armless Jordanians by a coward Israeli bodyguard.

All Jordanians stood as one in defiance of Israel’s illegal restrictions at Al Aqsa Mosque, thus revealing a spirit that resonated with the protestations in Jerusalem.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally met the killer, kissing and hugging him, wishing to spite the King for his steadfast position in support of the peace process and efforts to stop Israeli soldiers and colonialists’ de facto encroachments on Al Aqsa domain. 

The Israelis must grapple with fact that their moral stand and stature in the world is declining, even among many enlightened Jews of the world.

There is a subtle universal movement of defiance and rejection of Israeli atrocities and crimes.

Israel may be encouraged to be pompous and haughty by the current divisive and ruinous events in the Arab world, unaware that no division will make Arabs and Muslims forget Jerusalem.

Not an iota of tangible evidence has been found, in spite of all the excavations Israel has performed since 1967, that may attest to the existence of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem or under Al Aqsa Mosque. It is all a figment of imagination.

More than half-a-century has already elapsed since Israel has occupied East Jerusalem. Israelis have used every means known to dig under the mosque to discover a single relic that shows they had been there, but nothing has materialised. 

Does not this cast a moral cloud over Israel’s attempt to justify the law of return and the annexation of Jerusalem?

It sure does.

Israel itself was planted in the midst of the Arab world in 1948 (69 years ago). It has fooled with its propaganda the world into believing that it was a true democracy and a lamb among wolves. This is now passé; no one actually believes these claims, including many Israelis.

Sure, Jews had their share of persecution when they were looked down upon in Europe. Now they turned into wolves attacking Arabs with callous acts and humiliating them.

The holly spirit of Jerusalem is not on their side anymore as they used to claim. 

The Psalms of David reveal a great deal of love and compassion in obedience of the Lord. Does the worshiping at the wall in David’s name make Israelis realise that they are breaking the very spirit of these psalms?

They must be praying at the wrong wall.

The writer is a former Royal Court chief, deputy prime minister and member of Senate. He contributed this article to The Jordan Times.