News Digest: U.S Ambassador receives photo of Jerusalem edited with the Third Temple in place of Al-Aqsa Mosque
#0202_A_View_From_East_Jerusalem
“A photo of U.S Ambassador [to Israel] David Friedman receiving a poster [of Jerusalem] showing the so-called Third Temple in place of Al-Aqsa mosque, has caused widespread Palestinian outrage towards the Trump administration’s continued policies regarding Jerusalem.
Secretary-General of the Palestinian Liberation Organization Dr. Saeb Erekat has expressed his great displeasure at the new low the current U.S. administration’s diplomacy has reached.
Erakat stated, 'for it to reach the point where President Trump’s ambassador David Friedman happily receives and accepts a photo of the so-called ‘Temple’ in the place of Al-Haram A-Shareef [2], on the ruins of the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque, is evidence of [U.S] approval and affirmation of this move. They are assaulting Al-Aqsa Mosque and effectively turning the conflict into a religious one.’
Erakat also goes on to say, 'for how long will Friedman’s low and despicable actions remain without an Arab and Islamic response good enough for the status of Al-Aqsa Mosque?’”
– Al-Quds Newspaper
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#0202_A_View_From_Haredi_Jerusalem
"Storm Brews After U.S. Ambassador Photographed With Controversial Depiction of Temple Mount
[…] The embassy said that 'Ambassador Friedman was not aware of the picture presented to him, and he was very disappointed that someone used his visit to Bnei Brak to stir up controversy.'
'We have demanded an apology from the organization for allowing one of their employees to present the controversial image to the ambassador during his visit, and the American policy is absolutely clear – we support the status quo regarding the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount,' an official at the US embassy said Tuesday night.
The organization issued an apology to the ambassador and claimed that the picture was presented without the consent of the organization's leaders: 'A member of the Achiya staff presented a picture to the ambassador without the consent of the organization, the embassy or the ambassador. We would like to thank Ambassador David Friedman and his staff at the embassy for the professionalism and generosity at the visit,' he said […] The staff member responsible for this was identified and has apologized. […]"
– Kikar HaShabat
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#0202_A_View_From_West_Jerusalem
"Controversial J'lem photo gifted to U.S. Ambassador Friedman causes storm
The seemingly authentic photo of the capital was in fact edited to depict a rebuilt third temple on the Temple Mount, the site where the Dome of the Rock stands.
US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman was caught off guard on Tuesday when he was presented with a poster-sized photo of Jerusalem during a visit to the Haredi [ultra-Orthodox] city of Bnei Brak. The seemingly authentic photo of the capital had been edited to depict a rebuilt third temple on the Temple Mount, the site where the Dome of the Rock currently stands. Friedman received the picture from an activist at the Achiya organization, which works to ensure the rights of children with learning disabilities in the Haredi sector and which was leading the tour Friedman was on at the time.
The US Embassy subsequently demanded an apology from the NGO and clarified that 'US policy [supports] the status quo on the Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount.' Achiya apologized in a statement saying, 'We apologize to Ambassador Friedman and the US Embassy. […] The ambassador and his team were professional and generous with their time in visiting us to highlight the important life-changing work we do. Unfortunately, the entire experience has been clouded by a cheap political stunt.' […]
The controversial event has the potential to cause backlash and dissent among Palestinians who have long accused Israel of threatening to damage the status quo at the Temple Mount."
– The Jerusalem Post
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"NEWSWORTHY: American Ambassador David Friedman poses for photos at an event. A man joins, holding a picture of Jerusalem with the Third Temple replacing the Dome of the Rock.
NOT NEWSWORTHY: PA President Mahmoud Abbas shown reading a newspaper with a cartoon portraying an Israeli soldier poisoning a Palestinian baby."
[Corresponding photos included in the post's photos]
– Emanuel Miller, West Jerusalemite Writer
[Selected Comments:]
– "Liberal Orientalism – incredibly low expectations for Palestinians."
– "The Palestinian children who come to be treated by us Israeli doctors don't seem too scared of getting poisoned…"
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0202 Editor's Notes:
[1] The first and second Jewish temples were built on the Temple Mount site, the current location of Al-Aqsa Mosque complex and the Dome of the Rock. The First Temple was destroyed by the Neo-Babylonian empire in 586 BCE, and the Second Temple was destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 CE. Many Jews believe that the prophesied Third Temple will be built during the Messianic Age.
[2] Al-Haram A-Shareef is another name for Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound which literally means “the Noble Sanctuary.”
#Al_Aqsa #Temple_Mount #David_Friedman #Third_Temple #Politics #Controversial
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