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Tuesday, September 06, 2005

Gaza Synagogues

It will be interesting to see what ends up happening with this:
The High Court of Justice today instructed the government to formally request of the Palestinian Authority that it take responsibility for preserving the synagogues in Gaza once Israeli forces withdraw from the area. The seven presiding justices in the petition to prevent the demolishing of the synagogues wrote in their decision that if the state refuses to ask for the PA's commitment, then the justices "will ask to know the primary justifications" for not doing so.
Their reasoning, which I find to be both interesting and quite sound:
The justices wrote further that their decision that the government reconsider its decision to demolish the synagogues in Gaza was informed by the religious objections of the Chief Rabbis to such a destruction by Israel. The justices further noted, "The demolishing of the synagogues by the State of Israel will have long-term and harsh consequences for the preservation of synagogues throughout the world."
I am curious to see the Palestinian reaction far more than the Israeli one. When the Palestinians finally enter Gaza, does anyone truly expect them to leave the synagogues intact? Joseph's Tomb, which was thousands of years old and far more of a religious relic, was completely destroyed about five years ago. Some shuls that were built in the last 25 years should be different? Though I am hoping, I would be amazed.
[EDIT:]
I didn't see this earlier, but SoccerDad already wrote about this; and he links to a Ha'aretz article in which the PA does not promise to protect the shuls.

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