{"content":{"sharePage":{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"53358204","dateCreated":"1335372729","smartDate":"Apr 25, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"15nf01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/15nf01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/humanities9sis.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/53358204"},"dateDigested":1532128048,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Welcome to Palestine: 'Even prisoners are allowed visits' ","description":"http:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/indepth\/opinion\/2012\/04\/201241484657679358.html<\/a>
\n
\nThis article basically says that there are many rules as to who is allowed to go to Palestine. If you are a citizen of one of the open countries, such as the United States, Canada, or Europe. There are two ways to get to Bethlehem, but the government controls both paths, and to get across, you are required to have permission from the government. Depending on whether or not you are a supporter of the government, you may or may not be allowed in.
\n
\nPersonally, I think this is very stupid. Although it sort of keeps safety and extra caution in the area, it is not worth the hassle and people to have watching over the system.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"53329864","dateCreated":"1335321472","smartDate":"Apr 24, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"kscogi01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/kscogi01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/humanities9sis.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/53329864"},"dateDigested":1532128048,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"The surprise factor of Palestinian sovereignty","description":"http:\/\/www.theglobeandmail.com\/news\/world\/the-surprise-factor-of-palestinian-sovereignty\/article2173202\/<\/a>
\n
\nSummary:
\nThe Palestinians' president Mahmoud Abbas is asking the UN to create a state out of his country. Statehood would not do much to help the status of the Palestinian country-- however, the Palestinians and their allies are pushing for it while the Israelis and their allies are strongly opposing it. The Palestinians think that Israel will feel more pressure if they're successful, while the Israelis assume that the Palestinian military will be harder to 'chill' if they succeed. In these times, statehood has been considered a 'comparative advantage', impacting the legal rights and wrongs. The reason that Palestine wants a state is that their actions against Israel are often failures, largely because they are not a state and the "doctrine of sovereign immunity" doesn't protect them, which means their citizens can be hauled off into the courts of another state. This is why the Palestinians want statehood. However, another legal consequence is that when Palestine is a state it will be responsible for all acts from its territory, even groups beyond control.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"53331052","body":"The real question here is:
\nIs Palestine doing this for peace, protection, or power?
\nThe first two could be justified and if this plan is implemented for protection or peace, then it will be well worth the change. Also the fact that Palestine will be responsible for all acts on its territory will give the leaders a sense of responsibility and may help prevent any rash attacks on Israeli citizens. However, if this is all a quest for power then it should be prevented at all costs, if not the gained power could create even more tension between the countries resulting in death, and destruction.","dateCreated":"1335324034","smartDate":"Apr 24, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"15rs01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/15rs01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"53331102","body":"The Israelis are allready successfull with taking over the Palestinians land. if the Palestinians want to be more successfull then the Israelis, then the Palestinians will need to have alot of support and a more powerfull allies to help the Palestinians.","dateCreated":"1335324123","smartDate":"Apr 24, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"citlalli_escobedo","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/citlalli_escobedo","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"53118694","dateCreated":"1334929772","smartDate":"Apr 20, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"DoheeLee","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/DoheeLee","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/humanities9sis.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/53118694"},"dateDigested":1532128048,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"The Palestinian Refugee problem","description":"http:\/\/www.mideastweb.org\/refugees1.htm<\/a>
\nThis article is mostly talking about the Palestinian refugees. The Palestine refugee problems were started in the course of the 1948 Israeli War of Independence. Israel won the war making huge number of Arab refugees. Palestinian Arabs had to flee away because they were forced out of their homes during the fighting, and they were not allowed to return. The Arab states don\u2019t want the refugees. But with the exception of Jordan, they are unwilling to give them citizenship. Generally, refugees living in the camps live in conditions of abject poverty and overcrowding. This refugee problem has been at the heart of peace negotiations since 1949.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"53153050","body":"The Palestinian refugee problem is a serious problem indeed. These refugees don\u2019t have houses or a nationality that they belong to. Accordingly, they aren\u2019t welcome in any part of the world. This made them to live in refugee camps where it is crowded with refugees and have a very bad living condition. Also, the condition of those camps are getting worse since there are more refugees have been created due to the construction of the security wall between Israel and West bank. Now, the refugee camp is overloaded with refugees and we should do something about this problem before it gets more serious.","dateCreated":"1335007085","smartDate":"Apr 21, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"ChanSooKim","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/ChanSooKim","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"53270002","body":"What you said, Israelis are not allowing the Palestine refugee to their country. It is being a big problem, Palestinian will not have space to live. Israel and Arab has to meet and negotiate what their best solution is.","dateCreated":"1335241691","smartDate":"Apr 23, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"15hs01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/15hs01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"53276946","body":"Like everyone else said, this IS a big problem. We are doing access to resources in Palestine and Israel and we were surprised about what we found. Israel and the Occupied Territories already have a shortage to water, so Israel built a wall that is not on the international territory, but further in Palestine refugee camps where it cuts off water pipes, fertile land and farms. ON top of that, they build water stations almost all around Gaza, diverting the water. They basically stole water. With overpopulation and poverty already being a problem, like you said, the Palestinians have a shortage of water and because of that, they can't farm and produce food, which means they can't export any products which also leads to a collapse in their economy. This makes them even poorer, not to mention thirsty.
\n
\nI feel that it is wrong that they were driven out. I think of it this way:
\n
\nLet's say you were standing in a line at first (Israel), but then as time goes by you leave. Eventually other people take our place (Palestinians). NORMALLY, you wouldn't be able to go back (Israel) to your place, even though you were there first. That's why I think it is unfair. Even though Israel won the war, I still believe that they should let the Palestinians live in the country that was mostly theirs.","dateCreated":"1335258409","smartDate":"Apr 24, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"Jakes_15","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/Jakes_15","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"53110258","dateCreated":"1334906119","smartDate":"Apr 20, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"j-fuentes","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/j-fuentes","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/humanities9sis.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/53110258"},"dateDigested":1532128048,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Britain helps Israeli water thieves","description":"http:\/\/www.redress.cc\/palestine\/slittlewood20120210<\/a>
\n
<\/a>=<\/h5>\n
\nI think that Israel is not being fair for taking up more than 60% of the water. I also think that it is not right that the Palestinians have to pay for their own water. I think that Israel should give back some of the stolen water that was taken from Palestine and stop charging them for the water. I also think that the Palestinians should not have a limit of how much water they can get per day. I also think that the British and the Americans should try to stay out. Israel also should help build what they have damaged during previous assaults. I hope that Israel will destroy the wall and let share the water with the Palestinians fairly.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"53151906","body":"I am looking at this issue with my group and it really is a shame. There have been so many human rights abuses in this stubborn little fight and now people are being denied a basic need of humans. In the Gaza Strip, the coastal aquifer is 90-95% polluted by sewage. This is the only source of fresh water they have and in 15 years, U.N. scientists say there will be no more water in Gaza. Israel denies responsibility since they got out of Gaza in 2005, however they are still restricting flow of construction materials to build wastewater treatment plants and otherwise fix the problem in Gaza. Poor Gazans. The Israelis have condemned you to a slow death, I'm afraid.
\n
\nDeanna P.","dateCreated":"1335000829","smartDate":"Apr 21, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"15dp01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/15dp01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"53154330","body":"I found out throughout my research that Israel not only has 60% of the water source but also took away or destroyed some of Palestinian\u2019s water source as they were building the security wall. This tells me that the Israelis are not treating the Palestinians fairly. It is not fair for the innocent Palestinians to buy water for their living due to Israel\u2019s selfishness. Accordingly, I believe that Israel should share some of their water source with Palestine. (Water is the most important thing for humans and it is not good to see humans taking away the most valuable sources needed for life)","dateCreated":"1335013806","smartDate":"Apr 21, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"ChanSooKim","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/ChanSooKim","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"53206260","body":"o Undoubtedly a shocking piece of news, the article may be biased in some ways on the views of this particular issue. However, no matter the reporter\u2019s reasons, the factual information attained from this is quite true. Israel is cutting of supplies to the Palestinian territories, deeming it necessary for the residents there to rely on their enemy for constant supplies which never come close to the quota of necessary water for survival of the US. With Israel having an average supply of receiving 1600 mcm\/yr, the Palestinians in the West bank have an average supply of 115 mcm\/yr, and those in the Gaza strip only receive 60 mcm\/yr. The Jordan River basin is a heavily relied on source for the 4 riparian countries surrounding it, though only Israel and the Gaza strip rely on it most. Aquifers, pipelines, and other waterworks are linked directly to the basin itself, and by the construction of a wall that cuts through it, limits the Palestinians sources of water to a drastic minimum. Ludicrous it is that Israel is doing such a thing, these two states have been against each other for so long with a strange connection between the two areas that one would presume that a brief understanding of the situation between both states would have been obvious. Yet, they both still view each other as enemies (no doubt) and also, most importantly, without an understanding of the future generation matter. Though as much as the religious and ethical believes are understandable, the fact is that this goes against basic human rights of Palestinians and of the future children who have had nothing to do with the historic struggle are also impacted and punished for a \u201csin\u201d that they are only connected in the merest way through relationship. As both view each other as non-human opponents, establishing a foundation of sympathy for water crisis in the Palestinian territories is quite hard, unlike us, it may just be a procedure that warring countries do, that is to cut off the enemy of supplies in order to keep them in control and to protect their own people first. No doubt, the people of your home nation should be attended to first, (as Palestinian\u2019s are the first to be cut off from during water shortages in the West Bank or Gaza strip, before residential Israelis) a sliver of sympathy must be shown to the displaced and homeless Palestinians who are being forced to live in enemy territory (with no home) and to be deprived of life\u2019s basic need of water.
\n
\n
\nVictoria Wong","dateCreated":"1335154562","smartDate":"Apr 22, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"Victoria_Wong","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/Victoria_Wong","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"53223694","body":"the thing is, there is not that much water at all, and Israeli's have to pay a lot of money for water, its not only Palestinians that have to pay for water. this article is very bias. Both Lebanon state and Syria are taking water from the Jordan river BEFORE it's running into Israel, hence we have very little left. From this little left overs, we, under the peace treatment with Jordan state and the very little we split with West Bank under the very same treaty. We are also in shortage, and we have to pay a lot of money for so little water. and why would we share water with neighbors who start war on us all the time, seriously almost every other year when i come home for the summer there is a war either in the north, south or center of Israel. lake Kinneret is one of our main sources of fresh water in Israel and a few years ago the water line was so low it was under the black line, which is a certain amount Israel has estimated that the citizens of Israel need to survive, and recently it has gone below that line, which means we are running out of water, as is the whole world, which is not new news. so no, we are not stealing their water. and the only reason Gaza actually has water is because we are supporting them, no one wanted to take Gaza, in the Suez Canal Crisis, in 1956 Israel signed a treaty with Egypt to give them back the Sinai Peninsula and Israel also wanted to give them Gaza so that they could be under Egypt's control because they are from similar religion and may not have conflict as much as Israel and Gaza do, but Egypt wouldn't take them, so Israel agreed to keep them under our control and that they rely on us.And yet, on 1977 peace treaty Israel\/Egypt, again, Israel wanted to give Gaza to Egypt but they refused again,maybe they know something we don't know... And their whole economy relies on us, not that they really have a stable economy but when in comes to trad, export and import they do all of that with Israel and they rely on us for everything because no one else agreed to let Gaza rely on them!","dateCreated":"1335188606","smartDate":"Apr 23, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"15tb01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/15tb01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"53330972","body":"I think this an extremely huge offence against the Arab Palestinians! They are literary cutting the Palestinians off of everything they have. Their homes , their country , their basic human rights, freedom...What else can they take? STEELING water from the poor and homeless Palestinians just proved that the Israel people just keep forgetting how they were treated and now they have started to "plot" a kind of revenge literally saying "We were treated bad for centuries and NOW we have the right to make other people suffer because WE did!" I don't find this fair and not even normal....","dateCreated":"1335323762","smartDate":"Apr 24, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"Zo_Ombie_Girl","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/Zo_Ombie_Girl","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"53110170","dateCreated":"1334905738","smartDate":"Apr 20, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"15yw01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/15yw01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/humanities9sis.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/53110170"},"dateDigested":1532128049,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Sovereignty in Israel","description":"http:\/\/www.israelnationalnews.com\/Articles\/Article.aspx\/8636#.T5EJErMS2Ag<\/a>","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"53110072","dateCreated":"1334905549","smartDate":"Apr 20, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"15hs01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/15hs01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/humanities9sis.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/53110072"},"dateDigested":1532128049,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Israeli Planes Attack Gaza Targets","description":"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2011\/12\/10\/world\/middleeast\/israeli-planes-attack-gaza-targets.html<\/a>
\n
\nBy Fares Akram and Isabel Kershner
\nPublished: December 9,2011
\nIsrael carried out more airstrikes in Gaza, and accidentally killed a Palestinian man and his 12-year-old son. One of the strikes, on a site in northern Gaza, damaged a house, causing the fatalities. The military said that the responsibility for the deaths lay with Hamas (organization establishing an Islamic State in Palestine) because it operates in the heart of populated areas. By this incident, Palestinians retaliated by firing rockets from Gaza into southern Israel. Numerous attacks on Israel have made lots of victims.
\n
\nIsrael could have been more careful for not making such accident. If one starts, the other is going to attempt revenge, making another incident, which will be endless. The Arabs and Jews will not be able to gain peace, if one of them stops.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"53298340","body":"This is interesting, and quite worrisome at the same time. Innocent people being"accidentally killed" do not show a very good sign that these two sides will ever be peaceful with one another.
\nI agree that incidents like these simply cause uproar and endless conflict between the Arabs and the Jews.
\nHow do you think these types of accidents can be avoided? What do you think is the best way for peace to be spread?","dateCreated":"1335285614","smartDate":"Apr 24, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"15nf01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/15nf01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"53298516","body":"As I see this article, there were more accidents which badly damaged one's life and houses. I agree with your thoughts. They should have been more careful not to make those often damages and accidents. Then there won't be conflicts and less attacks from each other.","dateCreated":"1335285858","smartDate":"Apr 24, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"DoheeLee","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/DoheeLee","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"53330766","body":"This Is really sad and disappointed about how the Israelis treat people who live in their country , and even if accidents happen and EVEN if the Palestinians want to push Israel off the map in the Middle east there is no excuse or any motive to kill innocent people. And the power of Israel and a home for them made them forget how to respect other races than themselves!","dateCreated":"1335323229","smartDate":"Apr 24, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"Zo_Ombie_Girl","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/Zo_Ombie_Girl","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"53351342","body":"I agree, people not respecting each other is really sad. I think these types of accidents can be avoided by two country meeting and negotiating about their own opinions.
\nSharing ideas will help them to understand each other","dateCreated":"1335366632","smartDate":"Apr 25, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"15hs01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/15hs01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"53109626","dateCreated":"1334902552","smartDate":"Apr 19, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"joebelnap","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/joebelnap","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/humanities9sis.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/53109626"},"dateDigested":1532128049,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Jerusalem and the US State Dept.","description":"Jerusalem is just a piece of land that remain's under no one's official control according to the United States' State Department. In a statement released by the State department where they mentioned where they were going in the Middle East. They stated that they were going to Algeria, Qatar, Jordan, Jerusalem, and Israel. This statement was heavily criticized for it seemed to define Jerusalem and Israel as separate countries. When asked about this release, the spokes person said it was an error and they did not mean to mention Israel. When asked about whether Jerusalem was the capital of Israel. The spokes person responded by saying, "Jerusalem is a permanent-status issue. It's got to be resolved through negotiations." The reporter pressed further and the spokesperson refused to give an answer. In this article the author also mentions how passports of Americans born in Jerusalem simply state Jerusalem as their birthplace and not Israel.
\n"What's the Capital of Israel? Don't Ask the U.S. State Department." Focus U.S.A.-Israel News. Web. 20 Apr. 2012. <http:\/\/www.haaretz.com\/blogs\/focus-u-s-a\/what-s-the-capital-of-israel-don-t-ask-the-u-s-state-department-1.421341<\/a>>.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"53152064","body":"I believe Jerusalem should be like Vatican City, where the Pope and the center of Catholicism is seperate from the state of Italy, which it is located in. People there do not have Italian passports, but Vatican passports. If Jerusalem was made into an indepedent nation with its own sovereignity, it is possible that Palestine and Israel would refuse to recognize it as a nation, but it seems better to just keep Jerusalem out of the hands of both peoples because of all the conflict it causes.","dateCreated":"1335001519","smartDate":"Apr 21, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"15dp01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/15dp01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"53276826","body":"I agree with 15dp01 (Sorry I don't know who you are). I agree because the issue here with Jerusalem is both sides want it, but obviously it would just be an endless tug of war. Even though I think that it is a good idea to make Jerusalem a separate nation, both sides want it for THEMSELVES and they don't want to share. I think the only way is to divide Jerusalem up, which it is pretty much already. I think they said that the birthplace of Americans in Israel is Jerusalem, because it is such a heated situation and it is starting to seem like a separate nation.
\n
\nDo you really think it was an error? Or do you think they meant to separate Jerusalem from Israel? Who do you think got mad? Israel or Palestine? And why do you think that they would say such a thing?","dateCreated":"1335257809","smartDate":"Apr 24, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"Jakes_15","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/Jakes_15","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"53109620","dateCreated":"1334902441","smartDate":"Apr 19, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"15jr01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/15jr01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/humanities9sis.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/53109620"},"dateDigested":1532128049,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Islam's mystical claim on Jerusalem","description":"
\nIslam's mystical claim on Jerusalem
\nBy James Arlandson
\n
\nSummary: This article has the history over Jerusalem in the past, including all the battles, wars, and who owned it at what periods in time. It also has some scripture references from the different holy books that they have. It also has the different choices that they could have made and which ones they made. Though it is taken by military battles this article says that it is not enough and there needs to be a religion. It is my opinion that Jerusalem should be an international force ruled by it-self, or if no system of government could be decided, than the city could be rulled by the U.N or some other outside force.
\n
\n Three faiths have claimed ownership over Jerusalem. Plain ancient history favors Jewish ownership over the holy city. Christians claimed control of it at various moments in history, but no sound theological or historical claim can or should be made for ownership. Yet many Muslims today claim Jerusalem as theirs. Islam's claim on Jerusalem can be questioned because of two dubious reasons and because these shaky reasons come too late in history.
\n In AD 630, Muhammad led an army of about 30,000 jihadists northward to fight the Byzantines. He stopped in Tabuk, in northern Saudi Arabia today, but in the seventh century it sat in a kind of no\u2014man's land, where northern Arab tribes lived. He had heard a rumor that the Byzantines had assembled a massive army, but the rumor was false because they never showed up. Yet, the Prophet's northward march must have deeply impressed the northern tribes. He was able to extract agreements from them, saying, in effect, that they would be safe from aggression (read: aggression from Muhammad himself) if they paid a tax for the 'privilege' of living under his 'protection.'
\n It is impossible to exaggerate the influence of the Tabuk Crusade as precedent. Muhammad showed his followers how to deal with peoples that Muslim armies confronted after his death (Sura 9:29).
\n(1) The attacked region or city may fight and die;
\n(2) they may become Muslims and pay a forced charity tax, the zakat; or
\n(3) the Jews and Christians may keep their faith and pay a jizya tax. There was little hope for polytheists and their religious 'freedom' under Islam.
\nMuhammad died of a fever in 632. Later Muslims learned well from the example of their founder. In 634, Muslim armies stormed out of the Arabian Peninsula and began the conquest of Palestine (and other regions). In 638, Muslims conquered Jerusalem. Fifty years later, in 688, they began the construction of the Dome of the Rock. In 692, they finished the building project.
\nVarious armies have fought over Jerusalem, but surprisingly, it has been Muslim armies and self\u2014proclaimed leaders of Islam who have battled each other over the city (and Palestine) more often than non\u2014Muslims. For example, Moshe Gil in A History of Palestine: 634\u20141099 says that the Fatimids, a North African Shi'ite dynasty named after Muhammad's daughter because the rulers claimed descent from her, invaded Palestine in 970 and destroyed it after a century of unceasing war, especially devastating its Jewish population.
\n The Fatimid army... turned toward Palestine.... Theoretically, this was the outset of about a century of Fatimid rule in Palestine. In fact, the Fatimids were compelled to join battle with not a few of the enemies who stood in their way: the Arabs... the Qarmatis; a Turkish army... Arab tribes in Syria... and in the background the Byzantines were lurking .... [A]ll in all, it was an almost unceasing war which destroyed Palestine, and especially its Jewish population, even before the Crusaders' eventuality. (p. 336)
\n To take other examples, in 1071, the Turks besieged Jerusalem, which surrendered in 1073. Thus, Jerusalem came under the control of the Sunnis and out from under the Shi'ite Fatimids. Next, the European Crusaders conquered Jerusalem in 1099, but then in 1187 Saladin took it back.
\nBut how strong is a militant claim? What happens when a more powerful army claims Jerusalem, as the Jews did in 1967 in response to Arab aggression? A military foundation is strong only for a moment. So what are the right reasons for owning a city or land?
\n Taking a step back to view the big picture clarifies matters. If Islam had not stormed out of the Arabian Peninsula after Muhammad's death to wage wars of conquest, then no trouble would have emerged. But Islam is imperialistic and is bent on world domination.[1] Aside from following Muhammad's warpath that culminated in the Tabuk Crusade and engaging in sheer conquest, why else do Muslims assert their ownership over Jerusalem?
\n It is a fact that Muhammad never entered Jerusalem in a down\u2014to\u2014earth way, with boots on the ground, as it were. It is also a fact that the Quran never mentions Jerusalem once.
\n However, according to the prolific Muslim scholar Seyyed Hossein Nasr, professor of Islamic Studies at George Washington University, Muhammad transformed Jerusalem into a holy site for Muslims in three primary ways ('The Spiritual Significance of Jerusalem: The Islamic Vision. The Islamic Quarterly. 4 (1998): pp.233\u2014242).
\n First, while in Mecca the Prophet used Jerusalem as his first qiblah (prayer direction); then, after Muhammad emigrated from Mecca to Medina, Allah permitted his prophet to turn towards Mecca in prayer (Sura 2:144, 149\u2014150). For Nasr, this permission therefore provides a 'mystical' link between Mecca and Jerusalem.
\n Second, while Muhammad was still living in Mecca, he reports that he took a Night Journey to a farther location in a vision, even though Jerusalem is never mentioned by name. According to MAS Abdel Haleem's translation for Oxford University Press (2004), the two passages in the sura (or chapter), itself entitled Night Journey, read:
\n 17:1 Glory to Him who made His servant travel by night from the sacred place of worship [Mecca] to the furthest place of worship [Jerusalem], whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him some of Our signs....
\n 17:59 ... We send signs only to give warning. 60 Prophet, We have told you that your Lord knows all human beings. The vision We showed you was only a test for people....
\n This non\u2014empirical revelation contains two basic ideas: First, as the context around verses 59 and 60 shows, Muhammad was undergoing some persecution in Mecca; the polytheists were asking for a sign of Muhammad's prophethood. He replies that he is only an ordinary man, so he cannot perform them. The only sign Allah gives him is a vision. Second, this revelation parallels the one in 2:144, which permits Muhammad to take over the Kabah shrine before he actually does. The two passages are mutually supportive. Sura 17:1 reads: '...whose surroundings We have blessed'...Allah blesses the location (Jerusalem, though the Quran never says this), as He will bless Mecca a few years later. It should be noted that later tradition says that while in Jerusalem Muhammad was taken up to the seventh heaven from the Temple Mount, giving the vision extra significance for Muslims today.
\n This is why the al\u2014Aqsa or 'farthest' Mosque has been built on top of the Jewish Temple \u2014 not near the Temple. But is a non\u2014historical revelation that does not mention Jerusalem by name sufficient justification for building the prime symbol of Islamic imperialism on the most significant Jewish holy site?
\nThe third factor, says Nasr, is the Muslim belief in the Second Coming of Christ to Jerusalem. Therefore the city is sacred to Muslims and to Christians\u2014according to Nasr. But this is misleading, for Muslim theology says that Jesus will return as a leader of Muslims and break the cross to show how wrong Christians have been, in following their Lord (Bukhari here, here and here; and Muslim no. 289). Also, these hadiths say nothing about Jerusalem. Rather, traditional belief says that he is supposed to return to Damascus, as this Islamic website asserts.
\nThe political implications of these three non\u2014empirical factors (the qiblah, the Night Vision, and the Second Coming) are enormous: For Muslims, they justify, even require ownership over Jerusalem. With these three factors combined, Jerusalem is now the third holiest site for Muslims and therefore a place of pilgrimage and alleged ownership.
\n According to this dubious epistemology (a term that means the study of how we acquire our knowledge), revelation takes priority over historical facts; indeed, revelation makes or creates history. Even Nasr accepts this disembodied, ephemeral epistemology:
\nNot all the Palestinians nor all the Arabs nor even all the over one billion two hundred million Muslims now living in the world could give Jerusalem away for no matter what amount of wealth, power, land, or any other worldly compensation. The attachment to Jerusalem is permanent and will last as long as human history itself. (p. 234)
\n His inference makes three controversial claims.
\nFirst, the words 'Muslims living all over the world now living could not give Jerusalem away' assume that Jerusalem is in fact naturally be owned by the Muslims. Nasr is following the path or sunna of Muhammad, as the Prophet claimed Mecca before he actually owned it.
\n Second, those same words assume that 'Muslims living all over the world' actually worry about Jerusalem and who controls it. However, more evidence of this worry needs to be offered. Do the millions in Indonesia or Malaysia, for example, care about not giving it away for any 'amount of wealth, power, and, or any other worldly compensation.' Nasr speaks for too many people.
\nThird, Nasr brings up 'human history' in the last sentence, but it is precisely this element that is missing in his three factors. Jerusalem is sacred to Muslims supposedly all over the world mainly due to non\u2014empirical revelations that not everyone agrees on and that cannot be verified in history. And military conquest, which is embedded in history, is fleeting because another army may take over.
\n Accordingly, Waleed El\u2014Ansary draws this outlandish conclusion about Jerusalem:
\n Perhaps the only ways to achieve peace in the Middle East would be for Jerusalem to be depoliticized. It should not be a political capital of either Israel or Palestine, but be given a unique status as a spiritually sovereign entity under a theocracy of the traditional representatives of the Abrahamic religions . . . . ('The Economics of Terrorism,' in Islam, Fundamentalism, and the Betrayal of Tradition, ed. J.E.B Lumbard, Bloomington: World Wisdom, 2004, p. 216).
\n However noble and lofty his conclusion may sound, it has never crossed my mind, as a Christian, that Jews should relinquish control of Jerusalem and let a representative theocracy rule over it. Why not?
\n A Christian perspective on Jerusalem
\n No evidence shows Jesus transforming Jerusalem (or any other city) into a holy site, and certainly not in the way Muhammad did to Mecca in AD 630\u2014by the sword\u2014nor did Jesus institute a required pilgrimage to a holy site.
\n It is true that Jesus wept over Jerusalem because as a whole she did not accept his comfort (Luke 19:38\u201444); and that he cleansed the Temple there with a whip (Luke 19:45\u201446), but he did this by himself, which shows he was making only a theological statement, not a military one. If his intentions were military, then he had enough disciples and crowds to call them to a holy war to try to conquer Jerusalem. It is also true that he foretold her destruction (Luke 21:20); that he instituted the first Eucharist there (Luke 22:7\u201423); that he died there (Luke 23:26\u201449); and that he was resurrected there (Luke 24:1\u201412).
\nAll of these events are historically and empirically verifiable, as opposed to non\u2014empirical revelations. Despite all of these events that are rooted in earth and not floating in the air, Jesus never once turned Jerusalem or declared that it should belong forever to his followers, the Christians.
\n Thus, Nasr misses the mark widely when he writes:
\n ... [B]y virtue of accepting Christianity, Christians are duty bound to have a special attachment to Jerusalem as did their forefathers who even fought bloody wars known as the Crusades for over a century with the declared intention of regaining control of the holy city, who oriented their churches in Europe in its direction and who have made pilgrimage to the holy city during the past two millennia. (p. 234)
\n The key words are 'duty bound.' Why does Nasr impose that duty? Bloody wars? Oriented European Medieval churches? Free\u2014will pilgrimages? These are not nearly sufficient for the average Evangelical Christian anywhere in the world. It is difficult to imagine that Thai or Korean evangelicals, for example, ever feel duty bound for those reasons, and certainly not for non\u2014existent New Testament reasons. Most American Christians do not feel duty bound.
\n It is one thing for a devout Christian to follow his heart on a personal pilgrimage to Jerusalem in order to derive spiritual benefit, but it is quite another to follow one's alleged bound duty or command to go on one and to insist that Jerusalem should come under the political control of Christians, especially to the point of bloodshed.
\n And as to the Christian doctrine of the Second Coming (Nasr's third factor in the previous section), Christians believe that Christ will return when the Father pleases. Whoever is squabbling over Jerusalem at that time will have to submit to his reign. True, professional Bible prophecy teachers believe that the Bible teaches Jews own Jerusalem, but they do so for a simpler reason than reading current events and matching them up with the Bible.
\n American Evangelicals, including Bible prophecy teachers, are faced with two grounds of epistemology on which to make some choices: (1) history, which says that the Jews own Jerusalem; (2) the non\u2014evidence in the New Testament that says Christians should own Jerusalem. What later followers like the Crusaders did is another matter, for they do not set the genetic code for Christianity; only Christ and the New Testament authors do.
\n The vast majority of Evangelicals in America choose the first epistemological option simply because the Bible and history outside the Bible agree that Jews have lived there long before Christians and Muslims arrived on the scene.
\n It is true that King David took Jerusalem to unite the nation religiously (2 Samuel 5:1\u20149; 1 Chronicles 11:1\u20149), but what happened when the great empires marched over little Israel as a footpath when they were waging war on each other and other opponents? Assyria, Egypt, Babylonia, Persia, Greece, Romans, and Byzantines treated Israel as a side issue on the world stage, as they fought for global domination. In all that time, Jews remained in the land, and for a short while under Roman occupation the Jews were exiled from Jerusalem. But back they came. Why do not the northern Iraqis (ancient Assyrians) wish to immigrate to Israel today, in order to 'reclaim' an ancient land? Why do not the Egyptians today immigrate to Israel? Why not southern Iraqis (ancient Babylonians)? Greeks? Italians? During all the long history of the holy city and land, Jews alone returned, while others remained\u2014the remnant. If any people have a 'mystical' claim on Jerusalem, it is Jews. Clear and simple history favors them, which is always easier to analyze and quantify than mysticism.
\n After an assortment of Islamic dynasties fought with each other and the Byzantines, eventually Israel became a mere outlying province (not an independent state or nation) of Turkey for centuries, until the Ottomans fought on the wrong side in World War I. They forfeited their ownership to the victors\u2014Great Britain, in this case. Then in 1948 the ancient land of Israel became an independent Jewish nation with UN approval, thus restoring the land to its historical owners. Again Jews returned to their land and city, though some never left\u2014the remnant.
\n However, even though Muhammad never set foot in Jerusalem in a verifiable way and even though the Quran never mentions this city by name, Christians and Jews should respect later Islamic revelation\u2014respecting is different from agreeing on it\u2014that says Jerusalem is a place of pilgrimage for Muslims. Fulfilling a pledge to take a non\u2014violent pilgrimage to the Jewish sacred city harms no one materially or politically.
\nMuslims should understand why Bible\u2014educated and Bible\u2014believing Christians claim that the ownership of Jerusalem belongs to Jews. History trumps revelation, which is always better epistemologically when a revelation and its inferences can become politically charged and are not believed by everyone.
\nConclusion
\n Islam's militant and mystical claim on Jerusalem falls short. This religion comes too late in history to assert ownership over the sacred city. Military victories are fleeting, so they are insufficient by themselves. And non\u2014empirical revelations that lay claim over a city, but never mention the city by name, are also shaky and suspect\u2014and they would be such even if they did name the city. Muhammad never set foot in Jerusalem in a down\u2014to\u2014earth way. Revelations should not trump verifiable and ancient historical facts. So Islam is on the wrong side of history.
\n As for New Testament Christianity, even though Jesus did indeed walk through Jerusalem in a down\u2014to\u2014earth way and was himself a Jew, we Christians are looking for a New Jerusalem in heaven (Revelation 21), instead of an earthly Jerusalem. We are on a pilgrimage to the City of God (as Augustine calls it), not to a mundane city. Therefore, it is not hard for us, following Jesus, to let plain ole history take priority over earth\u2014bound and geopolitical 'revelations.'
\nChristianity and Islam\u2014two latecomers on the world stage\u2014should therefore back off from any claim over Jerusalem (and the holy land, for that matter). Longstanding history does not favor them.
\n However, unvarnished, unembellished history says that Jews should be able to live in and govern their holy city in peace.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]},{"id":"53109456","dateCreated":"1334901314","smartDate":"Apr 19, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"15ms01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/15ms01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/humanities9sis.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/53109456"},"dateDigested":1532128050,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Gaza-Israel clashes","description":"http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-middle-east-17348103<\/a>
\nThis article is about an event which Israeli jets had stroke Gaza settlers. The air strikes were aimed to few buildings in the strip, and caused a fourth-floored building to be a disaster. The roof was collapsed inwards; objects such as tables, chairs, bedclothes and children\u2019s toys were messed up everywhere. Fortunately, nobody was killed in the explosion.
\nA Gaza settler, who was living in a building that was crashed by Israeli jets, was interviewed. He said, \u201cI have already lost one son to the struggle for liberation. I have two more, and I am willing to sacrifice them too.\u201d From 1967 until now, Israel had controlled most of Gaza strip\u2019s borders and coastlines, including the high wall that divides the strip and Israel. Now the children in Gaza are growing up behind a huge wall, meeting neither the Israel territory nor a Jew.
\nAfter reading this article, I thought the children were pitiful, because though it was adults\u2019 fight, the children had to feel threat by Israeli attacks. Their lives were also disturbed by the huge wall that surrounds the strip where they are living in.","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[{"id":"53153188","body":"After reading this article I thought that the Israeli forces were just the same as the Palestinians. The jet plane disaster is same as the suicide bombings of Palestinians. Accordingly, I think that the Israelis don\u2019t have a right to say that the Palestinians are savages and are the ones to destroy peace. (It is a funny thing that they Israelis who do the same things as the Palestinians consider the Palestinians as the worst people on earth).
\nP.S: I also agree that the children who are being used by the adults to participate in the fight are pitiful.","dateCreated":"1335007942","smartDate":"Apr 21, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"ChanSooKim","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/ChanSooKim","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}},{"id":"53221126","body":"I reread what the Gaza settler said, and actually wasn't surprised at how he was willing to sacrifice his own sons for liberation. If that is all you need to stop this fight, anyone would sacrifice themselves in order for future generations to have peace in their lives. But I agree with Chan Soo, the children's lives are pitful, it isn't fair to them that they have to suffer through unresolved conflicts previous generations have made. Because of the children's parents, the children have bias information of the other side, and will never be able to communicate with other children who have never done wrong in their lives because they consider it a shameful and disrespectful act.","dateCreated":"1335186396","smartDate":"Apr 23, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"15yy01","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/15yy01","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"}}],"more":0}]},{"id":"53103424","dateCreated":"1334885133","smartDate":"Apr 19, 2012","userCreated":{"username":"Username224","url":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/user\/view\/Username224","imageUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikispaces.com\/i\/user_none_lg.jpg"},"monitored":false,"locked":false,"links":{"self":"https:\/\/humanities9sis.wikispaces.com\/share\/view\/53103424"},"dateDigested":1532128050,"startDate":null,"sharedType":"discussion","title":"Palestinians and Israelis Don\u2019t Agree on New Talks","description":"http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2012\/01\/26\/world\/middleeast\/palestinians-and-israelis-dont-agree-on-new-talks.html<\/a>
\n From January to April, Palestine and Israel started to held the conversation meetings at Jordan. Jordan wanted to solve Palestine and Israel conflict and planned to have five meetings each month for peace treaty. United State, European Union, Russia, and United Nation had joined the conversation either. After January conversation, Palestinians officers said the progress between Israel was very little or none. Palestinians politics want 1967 borders withdraw, but Israeli government does not want to withdraw. Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas said \u201cIf we demarcate the borders, we can return to negotiations, but Israel does not want to do that,\u201d. So Palestinians believe they cannot make major problem solved. They solved the minor problems such as freeing the prisoners. In my thought, Israel needs to think about the border problem as they control the borders. Without solving the border problem, nothing major problems will not be solved by this month. Also, Palestinians need to think withdrawing borders effectively, which means giving good advantages to two sides. I hope they solve the borders problem to have peace, which refer no more conflicts between Palestine and Israel.
\n- Chan Jin","replyPages":[{"page":0,"digests":[],"more":0}]}],"more":true},"comments":[]},"http":{"code":200,"status":"OK"},"redirectUrl":null,"javascript":null,"notices":{"warning":[],"error":[],"info":[],"success":[]}}