What If Jews Destroyed Mosques?

That's not my question. It's the question asked on Alt.Muslim by a Farhan Memon, a New York-based journalist, entrepreneur, and law graduate. The sub-title to his post is "Do Muslims in America lack the conviction of their religion to condemn sacrilege when it is committed by Muslims against others?"--the Palestinian Arabs, and the PA, are not the only ones Memon is critical of:

Imagine if Jewish settlers in the Gaza Strip destroyed two dozen mosques. There would be mass rallies in front of Israeli embassies around the world, and in America organizations like CAIR and MPAC would issue righteous condemnations calling on the American government to restrain Israel. However, as we've seen today, when Palestinians streaming into liberated Gaza set fire to synagogues there is deafening silence from most Muslims and certainly from the leadership of the American Muslim community.

Herein lies the sorry state of Islamic affairs.

A pretty blunt and honest assessment. We could use more voices like this.

The only thing that mars Memon's post is his conclusion that leaving the synagogues there was a trap. His proof? "Of course, as the New York Times reported today, this was a set up orchestrated by the Israeli government."

Two problems with that:

First of all, the actual NYT article in fact does NOT report that it was a set up orchestrated by the Israeli government. Instead, all the article reports is that "Mohammed Dahlan, the Palestinian civil affairs minister, described the Israeli decision about the synagogues as a 'political trap.'" Dahlan is not yet an editor for the New York Times.

And why is Memon--who claims to be critical of the PA--relying on the PA in general, and Dahlan in particular, for his analysis. This is the same Memon who writes that "the wholesale destruction of the Jewish synagogues is yet another indication that Palestinians of all stripes, whether Fatah secularists or Islamic Hamas types, do not have the political maturity to construct a civil society."

The other problem is that Memon's claim of a conspiracy seems to be the result of a fleeting confusion of Ariel Sharon with Karl Rove:

More likely Sharon rejoiced at the opportunity. He knew that the Palestinian Authority would not act to prevent the destruction. As a consequence, pictures and headlines would be flashed around the world showing Palestinian Muslims destroying synagogues. Once again the familiar narrative would be reinforced: Palestinian Muslims are barbarians, and Israeli Jews are justified in their brutal methods, otherwise civilization would fall.

Sometimes, Farhan, an Arab burning down a synagogue really is an Arab burning down a synagogue.

UPDATE:

Soccerdad emailed me that in fact Sharon's decision to leave the synagogues standing was a reversal of his earlier opinion:

Political sources said that Sharon's change of mind had to do with internal Likud politics, and his desire to avoid another political battle inside the Likud over an issue as emotionally charged as the destruction of synagogues by an Israeli government.

On the other hand, later in the same article:

"Now, however, a source close to Sharon said that leaving the synagogues would be a test for the PA."

If every test is a trap, maybe the Palestinians would be better off just auditing.

In his blog, Soccerdad points out 2 sites that trace other cases of synagogues being destroyed by Moslems:

Elder of Ziyon provides clips from the Palestine Post to demonstrate the Rich history of synagogue desecration by Arabs

Israel Perspectives gives more recent examples of the Moslem attitude: Jewish Holy Sites: Not In This Land!

There is also a piece Destroying Synagogues--Again by Sara Yoheved Rigler about the Hurva, on Aish HaTorah's website.

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