Letter to the Editor: On the Mount

Some excellent points were made in this week’s Our View column (“Stones’ Throw,” Sept. 25). However, I must disagree with the suggestion that Israel “ignore the international criticism.” It is extremely important that Israel tell her story, loud and clear, and that she keep telling it until the world starts asking the right questions.

Do people who stockpile stones and explosives in their own mosque have a right to demand that soldiers respect the sanctity of that mosque? Do people who hurl stones and Molotov cocktails down on worshippers at the foot of the mountain have a right to demand access to the mountaintop?

I do not favor the rebuilding of the Temple or a return to our ancient sacrificial system. However, a good start on the road to true peace would be for the Waqf (Jordanian Islamic authority in charge of Haram al-Sharif) to recognize that the site is holy to Jews and Christians as well as Muslims and to find a way for good people of all faiths to visit peacefully, just as Israel has found ways to accommodate both Jewish and Muslim prayer at sites such as the Tomb of the Patriarchs (Machpela).
— Toby F. Block, Atlanta

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