From: adam@endor.uucp (Adam Shostack)
Subject: Re: Israel's Expansion II
Organization: Division of Applied Sciences, Harvard University
Lines: 35

Organization: Aiken Computation Lab, Harvard University
Keywords: 

In article <93111.225707PP3903A@auvm.american.edu> Paul H. Pimentel <PP3903A@auvm.american.edu> writes:
>What gives Isreal the right to keep Jeruseleum?  It is the home of
>the muslim a s well as jewish religion, among others.

	Israel has a right to keep Jerusalem for many reasons.  They
include the fact that the majority of the citizens are Israeli, the
fact that Israel maintains religious freedom for all people, and the
historical connection of Judaism to Jerusalem.

	When Jerusalem was devided by a Jordanian invasion in 1948,
the cease fire agreement included the right of individuals to visit
religious shrines.  This cease fire agreement was violated by Jordan,
who did not allow Jews to visit holy sites under their control.  The
Jordanians also bulldozed every synagoge in the city.  They turned a
Jewish cemetary into a hotel, and used the gravestones in their
latrines.

	Israel has allowed individuals of all religions into
Jerusalem, protected holy sites, and demonstrated its fitness to
control the city.

	Also, I should point out that Islam is not centered in
Jerusalem, but has holy sites there.  The home of Islam is Mecca,
where all Muslims should make a pilgramage (the hajj).  Unlike Israeli
Jerusalem, Jews and Christians are not allowed in Saudi Mecca.

Adam

Adam Shostack 				       adam@das.harvard.edu

"If we had a budget big enough for drugs and sexual favors, we sure
wouldn't waste them on members of Congress..."   -John Perry Barlow
