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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE In 1948, six Arab nations invaded Israel, and Jordan captured and illegally occupied the eastern portion of Jerusalem for 19 years (1948-1967). During Jordan’s illegal occupation, Jordan demolished 58-centuries-old Jewish synagogues, killed or expelled the Jews, pillaged tombstones of the 3,000-year-old Mount of Olives Jewish cemetery to line latrines and build roads, denied Jews access to their holiest religious sites, and harshly discriminated against Christians and churches. Jordan prohibited Christian churches and communities from buying land or opening new schools, required Christian schools to teach the Koran, and refused to allow Christian holidays. Under Jordanian Arab Muslim rule, Jerusalem became a small isolated town. Arabs abandoned Jerusalem and moved to Amman. Significantly, neither the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) original National Charter (drafted in 1964, during Jordanian Muslim rule), nor the PLO’s 1968 National Charter, nor the Fatah (Arafat’s terrorist group) Constitution even mention Jerusalem, let alone call for its establishment as a Palestinian Arab capital. During Jordan’s 19-year illegal occupation of Jerusalem, Jordan kept its capital in Amman, built Jordan’s first university in Amman, as well as the King’s numerous residences, and made its Friday prayer radio broadcasts from Amman— not from Jerusalem. Arab leaders did not even bother visiting Jerusalem (with the brief exception of King Hussein). Jordan allowed eastern Jerusalem to fall into disrepair—to become a slum, with virtually no water or plumbing or electricity. This is of course not how an Islamic nation would treat a city that was really holy to Islam. Tellingly, in the not-so-distant past, Muslims recognized the Temple Mount as the site of the biblical Jewish temples. Thus, the Jerusalem Muslim Supreme Council’s publication, “A Brief Guide to the Haram Al-Sharif ” (1925 edition, page 4), states about Jerusalem’s Temple Mount; “Its identity with the site of Solomon’s Temple is beyond dispute. This, too, is the spot, according to the universal belief, on which ‘David built there an altar unto the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings.’” (The quotation is from 2 Samuel 24:25.) 4 The same Muslim publication notes on page 16: “In the west wall of the chamber, a door opens into a staircase descending to Solomon’s stables. This is a vast subterranean chamber…. It dates probably as far back as the construction of Solomon’s Temple. According to Josephus, it was in existence and was used as a place of refuge by the Jews at the time of the conquest of Jerusalem by Titus in the year 70 A.D.” (After 1954, all such references to the biblical Temples were excised from this publication.) Mideast scholar Prof. Francis Peters of NYU said that Muslims have always regarded Jerusalem “with careless indifference.” There has never even been an important place of Muslim learning built or established there. Leon Uris, famed author of “Exodus” wrote, “Jerusalem has known only two periods of true greatness and these have been separated by 2000 years. Greatness has only happened under Jewish rule…. Jews have remained constant in their love throughout the centuries. It is the longest and deepest love affair in the history of the world.” It is only by the reunification of Jerusalem under Israeli rule since 1967 that the city has been revitalized, enjoyed stunning growth, and finally enjoys full freedom of religion and access to holy sites for people of every faith. This would be threatened by its redivision, as is already obvious in the massive Christian exodus from Palestinian Arab-controlled Gaza and Bethlehem. Whatever form a final peace deal may one day take, there is no morally just, religiously or factually based, or legally sound reason to dignify the falsified, fabricated Muslim claims to Jerusalem. The fabrication that Jerusalem is holy to Islam impedes peace, instigates bloodshed, promotes a historic lie, and denies Judaism’s religious, historic and legal rights. It’s time to set the record straight. Morton A. Klein National President Follow Morton Klein on Twitter @mortonaklein7 Significantly, neither the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) original National Charter (drafted in 1964, during Jordanian Muslim rule), nor the PLO’s 1968 National Charter, nor the Fatah (Arafat’s terrorist group) Constitution even mention Jerusalem, let alone call for its establishment as a Palestinian Arab capital.


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