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Commentary;
Once again, Dr. Aaron Lerner of IMRA is on the mark in pinpointing other dangers of making “concessions” regarding East Jerusalem, aside from the obvious and MOST IMPORTANT ONE; that making “concessions” regarding Jerusalem as our eternal and undivided capital, or Har Habayit is as if cutting out the heart of a man.
Recently, this author received a well-worded email which, in part, touched on this precise point;
A body can function in a limited way without certain major limbs, but once the heart goes, it’s all over. Har HaBayit is THE HEART OF OUR NATION. Our most active motions MUST be directed towards strengthening the heart.
Further, making such “concessions” is to confirm to the world the “validity” of countless oft-repeated Arab, Islamic lies and slanders against the Jews (i.e. “Jerusalem was never capital, that the “Beit Hamikdash never stood where the Jews claim”, etc.). MB
Leading Israeli Leftist Warns Eastern Jerusalem Could Become Another Gaza, by Dr. Aaron Lerner (IMRA)
Writing in an Op-Ed titled “They Depend On Us” that appears in the Hebrew edition of today’s Haaretz, Meir Margalit (Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions – former Meretz representative in Jerusalem City Council) warns that eastern Jerusalem could become another Gaza if the Arab neighborhoods become part of a Palestinian state and Israel, in turn, cuts off the payments and transfers it now makes that benefit the Arab residents.
The article in Hebrew can be found here and is loosely translated below;
Margalit estimates that Israel today is transferring NIS 200 million a year in national insurance payments to the Arabs of eastern Jerusalem while the municipality of Jerusalem spends an additional NIS 300 million a year in eastern Jerusalem (not covered by municipal taxes paid by the Arabs).. He warns that someone – either Israel or the international community – would have to continue footing this NIS 500 million a year bill as otherwise eastern Jerusalem would completely collapse and face a humanitarian crises that would turn it into another radical Gaza.