While many presume the battles of the Women of the Wall are about freedom of religious worship, there is another narrative.
First, from the Muslims. The Al-Aqsa Foundation in a statement announced that
Israel has accelerated its digging and destruction around the Al-Magharbeh Gates, which is an essential part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Al-Aqsa Foundation for Islamic Endowments and Heritage said in a statement on Thursday.“Dozens of workers are working on a daily basis to clear the underground ways connecting Israeli synagogues with the Al-Buraq Wall which Israelis refer to as the ‘Wailing or Western Wall.’Previously, Israeli sources disclosed a proposal to expand the space in the area specified for the Jewish prayer and it was adopted by the chairman of the Jewish Agency, Natan Sharansky. The plan is dubbed the ‘Sharansky Proposal.’…The Al-Aqsa Foundation noted that the ‘Sharansky Proposal’ is a part of a plan to completely judaise the whole area, including Al-Magharbeh Gate and Al-Buraq Wall. “Both these places form part of the Islamic heritage in the area,” the foundation said. “The Israelis gained control of them through occupation.”Regarding whether the Israeli occupation can own them in time, the Foundation said: “Both places are Islamic and were forcefully usurped by the Israeli occupation, which has been destroying and judaising them over time. However, their Islamic identity cannot be changed with time.”…The deputy head of the Islamic Movement in Israel, Sheikh Kamal al-Khatib, criticised Israeli activities in the area. He told MEMO that the Israeli occupation is “seizing the opportunity to judaise the area amidst Arab, Islamic and Palestinian instability.”
By the way, this foundation underlines
that all Jewish attempts to promote the lie of the alleged temple at the expense of the Aqsa Mosque would be doomed to failure and would not undermine the historical truth that the Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem belong to Arabs and Muslims.
Even the Gates Walks around the Temple Mount, on the outside, are condemned.
So, while Jews fight among themselves….
The Jordanians (we have a peace treaty with them) are also condemning us:
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants Nasser Judeh... [related to media reports] about plans by Israel to expand the arena adjacent to the Wailing Wall at the expense of a the hill at the Mughrabi Gate, and condemned the continuing unilateral Israeli actions...warning of the consequences of the attack on the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque...
And what are we fighting about?
It’s not about religious worship freedom for otherwise, Jews would be able to pray or at least read the Bible at the Temple Mount. As would Christians, too. For we can’t. And these women are not interested in that aspect of Judaism.
What does Anat Hoffman of the Women of the Wall pray for, really?
In The Forward, we read her so:
“Women of the Wall are not going to be banished to a separate space, because we don’t think separate is equal. We want to be with the rest of the Jews of the world at the Western Wall, and pray halachically [according to Jewish law] as we do,”
and also I found this there:
In December 2012, Anat Hoffman, the chairwoman of Women of the Wall, told the New York Times, that a mere change in management would not do. “I don’t care about that,” Hoffman said then. “I don’t want to sit in the back of the bus. I want to dismantle the Western Wall Heritage Foundation.”
However, YR sent me to this interview on the BBC where she tells a very different story, that "normalcy" and "Orthodoxy" are not the same thing and that "Orthodoxy" is in the minority in Israel". And she mistakenly claims that the Wall is the "holiest place for the Jewish people". (Watch from 2:25 seconds). From the transcript:
Interviewer: I want to understand are you just trying to change the setup at the Western Wall or is your point a broader one about Judaism?Annat Hoffman: "That''s an excellent question. I think when you change the holiest site of the Jewish people you are actually asking why not about a variety of other life choices dictated to Israelis by the Orthodox monopoly. I am also questioning why are the Orthodox the only ones in charge of marriage and divorce in Israel. Many Israelis want to get married in other ways and we do not have civil marriage in Israel or reform and conservative marriage and more importantly reform or conservative divorce. Some of us wish to get buried not by Orthodox custom but by reform, conservative or secular custom."Interviewer: "So your aims are broader than simply what happens at the Western Wall."Annat Hoffman: (Smiles and nods her head.)
So, what exactly is Anat Hoffman praying for? Better, what is she smiling about?
Is there a conspiracy theory that applies to her as well as to Sharanksy?
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