THE SPLENDID CITY OF YERUSHALEM

The ancients viewed Jerusalem as a splendid city. To mark the fast of the Ninth of Ab, we will consider what was lost with its ancient destruction. The account of the 1834 war in Israel, by the Greek monk NeoPhytos, will wait till later.

Pliny the Elder, the great Roman scholar, wrote of Jerusalem in Second Temple Times:

Jerusalem, the most illustrious city of the East by far, not merely of Judea

Hierosolyma, longe clarissima urbium Orientis, non Iudaeae modo [Naturalis Historia, V:xv: 70]

The parallel between the time of the Second Temple's destruction and our time, of the destruction of Jewish homes in the Gaza area, is striking.

If Bush's loyal servant, Ariel Sharon, gets his way, then the words of Eikhah, The Book of Lamentations , will be fulfilled for Gush Qatif as well.

Weeping, She [Jerusalem] will weep at night, And her tear on her cheek,
She has no comfort from all her lovers, All her paramours betrayed her,
They became her enemies . . .

George W was a false friend -- All things to all men, almost. To some he was the scourge of terrorism. Indeed, fighting terrorism is a worthy goal. But Bush has endorsed Israel's retreat from Gaza, indeed he demands it. Behind Sharon stands Bush -- while crossing arms with Bush are his Saudi friends, made rich by American generosity to the kings of oil, despite their meager contribution to civilization.

How did the once populous city sit forlorn?

If Bush's man Sharon gets his way Gaza will sit forlorn. And barbarian rockets will rain down on Sderot and Netivot, on Ashqelon and Ashdod. And there will be no peace. So George is encouraging terrorism and war and tyranny and injustice. War on terrorism, anybody?

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NeoPhytos' account of the 1834 war in Israel will be resumed. Another parallel to our times will show. Ibrahim Pasha collected weapons from the rebels, but the terrorists in Gaza are allowed to keep theirs.