From the LA Times:
JERUSALEM — Hoping to prevent the Israeli government from demolishing synagogues in recently abandoned settlements of the Gaza Strip, the nation's Supreme Court on Tuesday directed Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to ask Palestinian officials to safeguard the buildings.The court is weighing an appeal that argues that Israel would violate Jewish values and set a dangerous precedent by demolishing the synagogues, as called for under the government's plan to withdraw from Gaza and part of the West Bank. Israel completed its removal of nearly 9,000 settlers from those areas two weeks ago and since then has demolished all private homes.
The government's plan calls for razing more than two dozen synagogues to prevent them from being turned into platforms for celebratory displays by Palestinian militant groups. Officials decided to remove usable items and to transport to Israel two mobile homes that had served as synagogues.
A three-judge panel of the high court initially sided with the government decision, but the matter was appealed to a larger group of seven justices. The appeal picked up steam after religious authorities ruled late last month that the demolition would violate Jewish law.
On Tuesday, the larger panel said it wanted the Israeli government to ask the Palestinian Authority or international community to safeguard the buildings...
Color us skeptical, but the chances of the Palestinian Authority protecting Synagogues is about equal to a snowball's chance in....
"Color us skepticle, but the chances of the Palestinian Authority protecting Synagogues is about equal to a snowball's chance in...."
That is the whole point, Rebecca - to expose the PA both for her intolerance and for her total inability to control the barbarians within the Palestinian society. Those synagogues will probably be in flames in a matter of weeks, but then Israel will have something to throw into Mr Abbas' face when the issue of removing the settlements from the West Bank arises.
Sharon is definitely a good tactician.
".....the nation's Supreme Court on Tuesday directed Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to ask Palestinian officials to safeguard the buildings."
I don't wish to cause offence to any Jewish person, I realise that this is a serious issue to them, but I when I read this part of the above story I laughed so hard that I literally fell off my chair.
Man, this is the funniest thing I have seen in a long, long time!
Anthony,
See, it's not just some in America's Supreme Court who are infected with the 'European Rationale'. From what I gather there are many Israelis while not laughing are shaking their heads in sorrow.
Obviously that decision was based on ignorance of what happened to Jacob's Tomb when it came under PA control.
As for the PA having any control of Hamistan to provide any protection, after last nights killing of Moussa Arafat, that is open to conjecture:
'We killed Moussa Arafat since the PA took no action'
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1126059629006
"directed Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to ask Palestinian officials to safeguard the buildings."
-- from the article above
Fat chance.
What would the world's response be to Jews attacking and burning a Muslim holy site? You think institutionalized, internationally condoned racism doesn't exist?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/961710.stm
Couldn't the Al Aqsa mosque be used as collateral?
Looks like asking the fox to guard the henhouse.
Oh please, enough with the Sharon is a good strategist...did anyone in Israel have the balls to do anything, or say anything when the tomb of Rachel was turned into a 'mosque'?
"Oh please, enough with the Sharon is a good strategist"
Hmm, how shall I put this: I meant that as a complement?
Synagogues that are 20 or 30 years old are worthless when compared to what Israel can gain from showing to the world just how intolerant Muslims are (and turst me, they will be).
With Israel out of Gaza, the story will stop being the strong Israelis against the "weak" Palestinians, and it will be the strong Palestinians against the defenseless Christians. It is a matter of time, and this time the press will be forced to report it.
No surprise here. . .
Here are pictures of the safe keepers trademark behavior 9/11/05