Mordechai Kedar about the al-Jazeera interview

mkedar@mail.biu.ac.il about the al-Jazeera interview on israelnationalnews.com 15 June 2008. Gil Ronen

"We were here when your forefathers were drinking wine, burying their daughters alive and worshipping idols" -- this was just one of Bar Ilan University political scientist Dr. Mordechai Kedar's ripostes to questions by an Al Jazeera interviewer two weeks ago, in an interview that has received rave reviews from Israel-lovers the world over for its forcefulness. "They did not expect me to take the discussion to history and especially not to religion," Kedar told Israel National News. But discuss religion he did in the above video, reminding his interviewer that Jerusalem was not mentioned even once in the Koran and saying directly in fluent Arabic that "Jerusalem is not on the negotiating table," and that "Jerusalem belongs to the Jews, period."

"This was very aggravating" for the Al-Jazeera interviewer, Kedar explained, "because in the Islamic view, Islam came into the world to replace Judaism and Christianity, not to live side by side with them. And here, all of a sudden, the Jews are coming from exile and building their state again and G-d forbid they also regained Jerusalem." Judaism is thus regaining its meaning, and Islam is challenged by this, the Bar-Ilan professor explained. "The mere existence of the State of Israel and the fact that we are in Jerusalem is some kind of challenge to the legitimacy of Islam in their eyes," Kedar explained.

"This is not pro-Israel public relations," Dr. Kedar told Israel National News. "This is a battle for the Arab heart, which Israel is apparently losing because Israel gave up on the main tool which should have served it, which is an independent Israeli Zionist satellite channel in Arabic." Many Arabs, he said, would consider changing their views if such a channel were available.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• al-Jazeera
• Mordechai
• Kedar
• israelnationalnews.com

[ChristianZionist]

Congolissa has no right to pressure Israel.

[vadimzdonutube]

this guy pwned a stupid al jazeera moderator with historic facts

[mammyoriordan]

Jerusalem - means the peace of God - how could that have anything to do with the muslims? - Rene

[kkhhaalliid1]

:) Hello in your channel

[sungmee45]

Congolissa or anyone else in the US has no wright to tell Israel what they can or can not do in their own land. US need to support and back off. Jerusalem is not for sell, it does not belong to anyone accept for God.

[hannahr77]

@JohnnyRock2000

what a crock get real

[sam2680]

shairex66st you are the one can go fuck your self...you are really you dont understand whats happend..

[sam2680]

israel bolshit really cuz they dont have a cuntry

[steute2011]

@ChristianZionist You are 100% right. Israel should have just given her a check for 3 billion dollars, told her to send for all the military equipment and not to send either of those things again, because we are not going to abide by any stupid UN resolutions or international law. They should have further explained that God gave them the land and they are Gods chosen people. I mean come on here who does the US and the rest of the world think they are... God?

[JBGodzilla]

@KrakDesChevaliers

Grow up! No such thing as "Palestinians." Just a motley crew of diverse Arabic-speaking peoples, most of whom were born outside of "Palestine," and somehow claim they have some "historic" connection to it, when they cannot produce a shred of evidence of ever having a king, or queen, or ancient kingdom there! Just occupiers of Jewish soil who left hoping the Arab armies would slaughter the Jews,and they would return to loot their dead corpses! And get back land they had sold!

[JBGodzilla]

@KrakDesChevaliers

That is exactly right! I am not saying that every Jew was perfectly innocent and honest, but when a people have been forced out of their homeland, forced to live on other people's lands, and in most cases not allowed to own land, and not not allowed to work and compete, they have to rely on money. They have to buy and sell and be merchants to survive! And then, if they have a surplus of money, to lend it out at interest to those who need capital, who later kill the lenders!