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Tag: jerusalem

  • Jerusalem Riot Disbanded by Israeli Police

    Israeli police mobilized at a sensitive holy site in Jerusalem Wednesday, employing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse a riotous protest formed by Palestinian Muslims, who were attempting to block Jews from entering the compound.

    Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said that the unruly mob threw stones and firecrackers from atop the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism. To Muslims, The Temple Mount is known as the “Noble Sanctuary” and is regarded as Islam’s third-holiest site. Israel captured the compound along with the rest of east Jerusalem from Jordan during a 1967 war, and skirmishes still occur at the site.

    Jews typically worship at the Western Wall, and while Israel allows them to climb the Temple Mount for visits, they aren’t permitted to pray at the site. The riot started when some Islamic worshippers barricaded themselves inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque to “defend” the site from Jewish groups, according to Sheikh Azzam Tamimi, head of the Waqf, the Islamic authority that manages the Temple Mount. Jewish pilgrimages at times foster rumors that Israel is planning to take over the site.

    Here is some raw footage of the situation in Jerusalem as it escalated:

    Tamimi commented that roughly 30 people suffered from tear gas inhalation or had been hit by rubber-coated bullets, though none of the injuries appeared to be life-threatening.

    Jews historically gather at the Western Wall during the Passover holiday, and police restricted access to the adjacent Temple Mount after Wednesday’s clash. Jews see the compound as the site where the two biblical Jewish Temples stood, and believe that one day a third Temple will be constructed. Muslims on the other hand believe that the golden dome of the shrine, called Dome of the Rock, holds the rock where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. The site has been the center of religious and territorial conflict between Israel and its surrounding Arab neighbors.

    Tensions in the area had already been rising due to the recent shooting of an Israeli police officer who was en route to celebrate the Passover holiday with his family in the West Bank.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Jerusalem Riot At Holy Site Broken Up By Israeli Police

    A confrontation broke out between Palestinian protesters and Israeli police at a holy site in Jerusalem.

    The building is revered as the Noble Sanctuary by Palestinian Muslims and as the Temple Mount by Jews. Both groups value the location highly and there are often violent confrontations as a result of existing tensions.

    The confrontation was said to have occurred after the site was occupied by a group of Palestinians who refused to let any Jewish individuals into the site to complete religious rituals. They would throw rocks at those who attempted to enter the site.

    Israeli police attempted to provide an armed escort for about 20 people who were trying to enter the site to pray. The effort seemed to make Palestinian protesters even more angry.

    Because Muslims feel that the holy site is where Muhammad ascended to heaven, it is one of the most important religious sites in all of Islam. They strongly resent Jews holding prayers at the location despite it being sacred to both religious groups.

    A website called on Palestinians to “stop the Zionists” from attempting to visit the holy site in Jerusalem during the Passover.

    Palestinian protesters occupying the site were alleged to have emerged from the building and thrown rocks at the approaching visitors and their Israeli police escorts.

    With the safety of the visiting group reportedly threatened, Israeli police chose to march into the building and force out the rioting protesters.

    Outside of the holy site, police were said to have used tear gas to drive away the Palestinian protesters.

    Despite calm being restored, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld, said that the area was temporarily closed to visitors. Rosenfeld said that no arrests have been made following the incident.

    Violent clashes like this are common during Jewish holidays as the ancient religious significance of the location is said to be at the heart of the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict.

    Image via YouTube

  • Peru Inmates Perform Musical ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ for Holy Week

    Holy Week-the last week before Lent leading up to Easter Sunday-has kicked off to a theatrical start.

    Peruvian inmates at the Sarita Colonia prison performed their version of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar Tuesday as part of Holy Week in Lima.

    The cast, which has been preparing for the play since February, finally made their debut presentation among fellow inmates and prison officials.

    The production crew consisting of over a dozen actors, apparently designed their own costumes, built their own set, and studied their lines for two months straight.

    One of the inmates was chosen to portray Jesus.

    The reenactment of Jesus’ crucifixion couldn’t have been more realistic. The actor was forced to carry his own cross, was then tied to it, and mounted above for everyone to see.

    Sarita Colonia guards also had the opportunity to enjoy the show as they heavily monitored the play in the back of the prison yard.

    According to the prison’s press release, officials said that the purpose behind the rock opera was to encourage and inspire the prisoners during their time of rehabilitation.

    Director and convicted robber, Freddy Battifora, 35, told reporters that the performance was a “healthier means of self-expression for blowing off steam,” especially for the cast members.

    In other related news, an additional event started on Sunday April 13 in Seville, Spain.

    The Christian Easter Holy Week also includes Semana Santa de Sevilla, which comprises of floats, holy figures, and religious processions.

    One feature in particular involves penitents (sinners) dressed up in robes and hoods to conceal their identity while they confess of their sins in public.

    The traditional festivities are usually celebrated in most Spanish towns during this time of the year.

    In the streets of Jerusalem, both Jewish and Christian people of faith have also gathered to commemorate the Passover and Holy Week by remembering miraculous stories in the Bible.

    Check out this clip of the original 1973 musical Jesus Christ Superstar:

    Image via YouTube

  • Jerusalem Riot Breaks Out At Holy Site

    Jerusalem Riot Breaks Out At Holy Site

    Israeli police were called to a holy site known to the Jews as Temple Mount and known to Muslims as the Noble Sanctuary today when a riot broke out. Because the two religious groups both use the site for worship, arguments and fights often break out.

    The riot that broke out was one of the more serious incidents to take place at the site and police said that rioters were throwing rocks from the top of the monument. The police used tear gas to control the crowd and stop the riot.

    The site remained opened after the riot, but was being watched by the police. Although the religious groups typically use the site at the same time, they usually try to avoid each other. Due to the Passover holiday, more Jews have been visiting the site lately, causing more tension between the groups.

    The Muslims believe that the site is where Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven. The Jews believe the site is the holiest part of two ancient temples that existed about 2,000 years ago. They also hope a third temple will be built on the site in the future.

    The Palestinians currently claim east Jerusalem and the Old City as the capital of their future state, but the site is the topic of peace talks that are planned to end at the end of the month. The U.S. has been trying to resolve issues surrounding the site for over 9 months, but neither side is willing to back down.

    Peace talks were scheduled for Wednesday, but had to be canceled because the U.S. mediator was unable to attend. They are scheduled to resume on Thursday.

    Do you think the two sides will come to an agreement before their deadline on April 29th?

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Historians Say They’ve Found The Holy Grail In León, Spain

    Historians are claiming that they have found the Holy Grail, and it is in the Basilica of San Isidro, located in León, Spain.

    The goblet, which the historians are claiming to be the cup from which Jesus supposedly drank from during the ill-fated last supper, is known as the Infanta Doña Urraca goblet. Fernando I, Infanta’s father, ruled León from 1037 until 1065.

    Margarita Torres, lecturer of medieval history at the León University, and José Manuel Ortega del Rio, art historian, announced that the Holy Grail has been found in their newly-published book Kings of the Grail.

    According to them, two ancient Egyptian parchments were unearthed in 2011, which detailed how the Holy Grail was stolen in Jerusalem and brought to Cairo. The Egyptians then gave it to an emir from Spain after helping them during a famine. In the 11th century, it was given as a gift to King Fernando.

    The goblet found in the Basilica matches the description of the goblet in the Egyptian parchment, which described the upper part as made of agate, with a missing fragment.

    Since then, visitors have flown in to see the alleged Holy Grail.

    However, Torres and del Rio admit that they do not know the history of the cup’s first 400 years. Dr. Robert Cargill, a professor of classics and religious studies at the University of Iowa also disputes their claim, saying there is no way to confirm its authenticity.

    The Holy Grail was first mentioned in an unfinished poem by Chrétien de Troyes, some time between 1180 and 1191. Its association to Jesus was developed in the 12th century by Robert de Boron, who wrote that Joseph of Arimathea used the cup to gather Christ’s blood after his crucifixion.

    Interest in the nature of the Holy Grail and its true location increased in later years, with many groups going on quests to find it. The most notable group to look for the famed chalice is the Knights Templar.

    In Pursuit Of the Holy Grail

    Image via YouTube

  • ‘Son of God’: Jesus Remains, Satan is Cut

    ‘Son of God’: Jesus Remains, Satan is Cut

    The New Testament story of Jesus Christ will once again hit the big screens on February 28th. This time it has taken a different approach to Mel Gibson’s 2004 film The Passion of the Christ, which focused more on the final moments of Jesus in Jerusalem up until his torture and crucifixion.

    The movie Son of God, however, will go more in depth about the birth of Jesus, his teachings, execution, and resurrection.

    According to a synopsis on the film’s official website, this is an experience you would not want to miss:

    Told with the scope and scale of an action epic, the film features powerful performances, exotic locales, dazzling visual effects and a rich orchestral score from Oscar®-winner Hans Zimmer.

    For leading actor Diogo Morgado, conducting a little research prepared him for his role as Jesus.

    The 6’2, Portugal-native portrayed Jesus once before in The History Channel’s Emmy nominated miniseries The Bible. As a Christian, Morgado’s new cameo gave him the opportunity to learn even more about his faith just by observing his surroundings.

    While visiting the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Morgado told Good Morning America Wednesday that he encountered an experience that put everything into perspective.

    He expressed how his portrayal of the Biblical leader inspires him to educate people, but especially children:

    I saw this father and a young kid, they were praying. And I stood for like two hours there. By the time I left, they were still praying and I realized whatever I was about to do would be connectinore with that kid than his father. We live in a visual world now. Kids can learn a lot by seeing things rather than reading it. So I really understood the responsibility…

    There’s a lot of people out there. A lot of kids, especially. They don’t know who exactly Jesus was. So, this is actually a tool that can teach these kids about why Jesus was who he was and why the Bible was the most important book.

    Well, one character that will be standing on the sidelines this time around is Satan.

    Film producer Roma Downey made sure to edit out any scenes involving the villain due to negative feedback regarding the appearance of Satan in The Bible, which critics said uncannily resembled President Barack Obama.

    Below is a Fox News coverage about the controversy: 

    Downey and her husband, who were also executive producers of the miniseries, decided to cut actor Mehdi Ouzaani from the 2013 TV special. In response to the controversy, they also released statements asserting that the Moroccan actor “previously played parts in several Biblical epics — including satanic characters long before Barack Obama was elected as our president.”

    Now, with another chance to redeem their filmmaking reputation, yanking Satan out of the equation may be the way to go (cough, cough).

    “It gives me great pleasure to tell you that the devil is on the cutting-room floor,” Downey told The Hollywood Reporter. “This is now a movie about Jesus, the son of God, and the devil gets no more screen time.”

    Well, I think that The Passion of the Christ will always be one of the most superb Christian films about Jesus. Therefore, I may just pass on this one UNLESS reviews direct me otherwise.

    However, the film Noah, which will recreate one of the Bible’s most catastrophic events, seems very interesting. Honestly, why would you not want to see a big wooden boat fight against a colossal rainfall as God wipes out the earth with a flood?

    What are your thoughts? Do you think that the portrayal of Jesus will be the same without his foe being in the mix?

    Here is the trailer to Son of God:

    Image via YouTube

  • Kerry Says No U.S. Troops Will Return to Fallujah

    Iraqi forces are planning a “major attack” against al Qaeda militants in Fallujah, and while Washington has said it would assist, Secretary of State John Kerry has made it clear that no new U.S. troops will be redeployed to the region.

    The al Qaeda occupation of Fallujah and parts of the Anbar provincial capital Ramadi marks the first instance of militants exacting such open control in major urban areas since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.

    Secretary of State Kerry told reporters in Jerusalem on Sunday that the U.S. would assist Iraqi forces that are mostly posted up on the outskirts of Fallujah, commenting that it was “their fight.” Baghdad already has special forces troops conducting small operations inside the city. Kerry added that Washington is “very, very concerned” about the al Qaeda resurgence, but asserted that no new U.S. ground troops would be redeployed after their withdrawal in December 2011.

    “We are not obviously contemplating returning, we are not contemplating putting boots on the ground, this is their fight,” Kerry said, adding, “But we’re going to help them in their fight. We are going to do everything that is possible to help them.”

    Fighting intensifies for control of Fallujah:

    Fallujah is presently under the control of members of the al Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), which has also claimed the village of Bubali near Ramadi on Sunday. Iraqi ground forces commander Staff General Ali Ghaidan Majeed commented, “we do not know what is happening in Fallujah,” but said the city should “wait for what is coming.”

    On Friday and Saturday, more than 160 people were killed in the Anbar province. In 2013, violence in the region reached a level not seen since 2008, when the country was just recovering from a brutal period of sectarian slayings.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons.

  • Snow in Israel: Pretty and Rare…but Dangerous

    It is snowing in Israel and everybody is tripping (& slipping) out.

    Although Baby Jesus likely would approve of the scenery, it’s now becoming a bit dangerous for Jerusalemites.

    On Friday, a snowstorm hit Israel and the initial joy of a rare snow appearance soon became a bit of a crisis. According to an Israeli newspaper, they have just experienced “the worst storm in decades.”

    As power outages abounded in the freezing cold weather, the Israel Electric Corporation found it necessary to declare a nationwide state of emergency. Rescue teams quickly gained the monumental task of rescuing thousands of stranded travelers, and shelter immediately became necessary for hundreds of cold and hungry households.

    Resulting flash floods have swept houses and people away–while there are no deaths reported, a man is missing and there have been some injuries.

    The response has been efficient–volunteers are handing out food to anyone in need, the electric company is calling in emergency workers to repair felled power lines, and convention centers have been converted into shelters.

    While some people are over it,

    It looks like this Twitterling got his last year’s wish granted:

    Kudos to the admirable effort from the Israeli government and citizens with preventing any deaths and assisting displaced individuals.

    [image: twitter]

  • Snow in Cairo: Yes, You Read That Right

    In wacky weather news, Cairo was slammed with a winter storm today, leaving over a foot of the white stuff all over the city.

    Jerusalem also received the storm’s wrath, as more than three feet of snow was dumped out on the city, trapping hundreds in their vehicles and leaving thousands without power.

    Getting rain in these parts is rare – Cairo receives less than an inch each year – let alone snow. In fact, no one really knows just how long it has been since Cairo saw snow, as historical records are difficult to ascertain.

    However, Jerusalem isn’t as much of a stranger to winter weather; it receives snow of more than six inches about every five to seven years. At least every two to three years it sees some sort of snow.

    Although some are enjoying the snow, it has also created hardships for many. The Israeli Defense Forces has been called into help, and the cold temperatures and harsh snow have made conditions even more unbearable for Syrian refugees who are living in Lebanon in makeshift tents and abandoned buildings.

    The snow has shut down most of the airports in the area and was the cause of two major flights being diverted. Additionally, most of the towns in the storm’s wake are immobilized.

    Adding insult to injury, another major storm is set to strike, possibly pounding the area with even more snow Friday night into Saturday. The storm could be three times the size of what just passed through.

    Folks flocked to Twitter to discuss the storm:

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Google Street View Goes to Jerusalem, Gets Lost

    Google Maps announced a new location that was recently added to Street View and given it’s one of the oldest places in the world, this update is a fun one: Jerusalem. While most people might not consider the city “fun” because of the intense dispute that is ever-present in the area as well as it’s deeply, seriously spiritual significance to millions of religious people in the world (which is why the city’s so hotly disputed), this update is a fun trip in history, architecture, and geography. And you don’t have to go anywhere in order to see it.

    To get a preview of what lies ahead in Jerusalem Street View, Google Maps put together the demo video below.

    Of course, given that this swath of land in Israel is probably the most disputed and sought after territory in the world, YouTube commenters for the above video did not delay in turning the forum into a public debate about who is the rightful occupant over the holy real estate.

    One of the reasons this land is so eternally disputed is because of this location here, the Dome of the Rock. It’s a religious site that’s claimed by both Jews and Muslims, which has caused the temple to be regarded as one of the most fervently contested religious locations in the world. Here you can see it as you would while standing near the Mount of Olives.


    View Larger Map

    Another significant area of the land that you’ll be able to see is the Wailing Wall, or Western Wall, which is just outside of the temple seen above. It lies just to the west of the temple and is considered one of the most religiously important sites in Judaism outside of the temple itself.


    View Larger Map

    Just for kicks, I found what appears to be one of the Google Street View people presumably consulting a map and even asking for directions (if you spent any time navigating the narrow corridors of the vertiginous roads in this city, you would probably need to stop for directions, too). Have a look at what appears to be the Google employee sporting a “I’m feeling lucky” t-shirt. “I’m feeling lucky,” by the way, is one of the search options you can choose when doing a search at google.com.


    View Larger Map

    Some of the other geographic features you can explore with this Street View update is the Biblical Zoo, the Hanging Gardens of Haifa, and the Via Dolorosa. So kick off your slippers and go enjoy the sights of Jerusalem.