Wednesday, November 14, 2007

First Arab Minister In Knesset: On Temple Mount, Islam Trumps Israeli Law

Minister of Science, Culture and Sport Raleb Majadle--who was appointed by former Defense Minister Amir Peretz to be the first Arab Minister in the Knesset--has expressed his view of the destruction being carried out by the Wakf on the Temple Mount. Arutz Sheva reports in Majadle Justifies Destruction of Temple Remains:
Before I am a government minister I am first and foremost a person and a citizen and a Muslim. With all due respect for the law, the law was meant to respect the religion, the person and the citizen and protect him, and not the other way around, enslave him," he explained. "Therefore I say clearly: Al-Aksa, Al-Haram al-Sharif [as the Temple Mount is called by Muslims – ed.], cannot be under the authority of Israeli law."

[MK Aryeh] Eldad interrupted him repeatedly, reminding him that he had sworn allegiance to the State of Israel and its laws, but Majadle insisted: "I hereby inform you, esteemed MK Eldad, that I may be a minister for one, two or ten years but I was born a Muslim and a Muslim I shall die. I respect Israeli law... but if there is a contradiction between the law and my deep faith as a Muslim, I announce that I will know what to choose."
Too bad no one thought to ask Majadle these kinds of questions before appointing him to the Knesset.
Majadle clearly has figured out his priorities.
It 's about time Israel did the same.

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