Hatred and lies will ultimately fail – shame on AJDS
'The truth will always win and succeed in the long run'
The AJDS used hostile language and levelled totally false accusations at Ateret Cohanim in their AJN letter to the editor on July 5.
It seems that “if you tell/promote/publicise a lie or twist the truth enough times it becomes the truth”.
Like their radical left wing counterparts in Israel – “Ir Amim”, who side with Arabs at every opportunity – AJDS (Australian Jewish Democratic Society) are trying to stop Jews from living in any neighbourhood of Jerusalem.
They even make outright false and malicious statements against Ateret Cohanim, claiming that they are “…violent racists….implicated in criminal settler activity resulting in the active displacement, violence and deaths of Palestinians”.
A few simple facts for Stillman and Zwier and the readers of the AJN:
1/ Ateret Cohanim is a respected and recognised and well known non profit organization (established in 1979) involved in the revival of Jewish life (Zionism realised), centred around educational institutes in and around the Old City.
2/ Ateret Cohanim’s members, families or Yeshiva students have never been involved in any shape or form with any violence towards the Arabs of Jerusalem. There is not a single police complaint, file, record or other against anyone associated with Ateret Cohanim in regards to violence towards Arabs. Not one. The same however, cannot be said for a host of violent Arabs from the Old City and the Shiloach (Silwan) who have been arrested, tried and punished for literally thousands of attacks against Jews (Ateret Cohanim families) in the heart of Jerusalem over the last couple of decades. In fact, Ateret Cohanim actually works with some moderate Arab families in Jerusalem to better the life and conditions of all Jerusalem residents. (In other words – basic coexistence.) Where is the evidence behind claims of the AJDS?
3/ Not a single Arab has been actively displaced because of the efforts of Ateret Cohanim in its 45 years of activities. I challenge Stillman and the AJDC to name a single Arab who has been actively displaced by Ateret Cohanim. The only Arabs “displaced” from their “home” that this writer knows about – is the Arab family removed from a 140 year old synagogue in the Shiloach (aka Silwan) after the Supreme Court of Israel ruled in favour of the Yemenite Sanctified Trust (NOT ATERET COHANIM) and stated that the Arabs were in fact illegal squatters. They were obviously removed from the synagogue by the official Government Authorities. (Note – the Trust which is a separate entity altogether from Ateret Cohanim still offered compensation to the Arabs in this case and acted beyond the letter of the law).
4/ Stilman/Zwier claim that Ateret Cohanim is responsible for the deaths of Palestinians. G-d forbid !! Who? When? Where? Which Arab?
Throwing out irresponsible falsities and making such a disgraceful accusation, just to make a point is pathetic grandstanding, doesn’t hold water and borders on pure incitement. It’s like the Palestinians falsely claiming that they are a “centuries old nation with a history, heritage and connection with the land of Israel and with Jerusalem/Al Quds as its capital”. Of course, there has never ever been a recognised Palestinian Arab state in the land of Israel and Al Quds/Jerusalem has never been their so-called capital.
Claiming a lie time after time doesn’t make it right or true, as we all know.
5/ Please note that over the 45 years since its founding, Ateret Cohanim has successfully re-established Jewish life in the Holy Basin – in and around the Old City. Arabs willingly sell and Ateret Cohanim facilitates Jews from Israel and abroad to simply purchase. No one is forced to sell or leave their home.
Yes – Mohammed sells and Yankel buys !!!
The only issue that needs to be addressed is the sad fact that there is a well known fatwa-edict that declares the death penalty for any Arab who sells a property to Jew.
Rather than make false statements about Ateret Cohanim, the AJDS would be well advised to maybe fight against such an unethical disgraceful edict that is a blatantly undemocratic law.
6/ Finally- Ateret Cohanim does not receive any money from the JNF Australia and Ateret Cohanim has not appeared on the JNF site as a partner project.
It seems that like in Israel, we are always going to have Jews working day and night against the Jewish State, against Jerusalem as the eternal united capital of Israel and even against the Torah.
Thank G-d, such groups are irrelevant, small in numbers and like many before them, are destined for the dustbin of history. The truth will always win and succeed in the long run.
Ateret Cohanim will continue to act with morality, integrity, honesty, conviction and according to the law and will continue to strengthen Jewish life in the heart of Jerusalem and fulfil the Zionist dreams of generations of Jews throughout the centuries.
With or without the AJDS !!!
Daniel Luria is the executive director and spokesman of Ateret Cohanim.
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