[Al Arabiya Latest] Egypt cancelled the formal opening on Sunday of a renovated 19th-century synagogue in Cairo in protest at what antiquities chief Zahi Hawass called "provocative" Jewish and Israeli actions.
Both Hawass and Culture Minister Faruq Hosni had been due to attend the event a week to the day after 150 people, including rabbis and the US and Israeli ambassadors, attended the rededication of the Maimonides synagogue.
Citing press reports, Hawass said in a statement that the cancellation comes after "provocative" acts during the March 7 ceremony in Cairo's ancient Jewish quarter. He referred to "dancing and drinking alcohol in the synagogue, as reported by several newspapers," and said such acts "were seen to provoke the feelings of millions of Muslims in Egypt and across the world."
| These are normal Jewish behaviours at celebrations large and small, and therefore offensive to Allah, who is so clearly displeased it when Jews are happy. We can tell because he has so often caused the Jews to lose wars fought against Arabs in the last six decades or so, removing causes for Jewish celebration. |
| The feelings of Muslims do seem to be provoked rather easily ... |
The decision was also taken at "a time when Muslim holy sites in occupied Palestine face assaults from Israeli occupation forces and settlers," Hawass said. He was referring to clashes at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound and plans to include two contested West Bank holy shrines on a list of Israeli heritage sites.
| This of course has nothing to do with reopening a Jewish place of worship, and therefore it is perfectly logical that Dr. Hawass connect them. |
However, the antiquities supremo also said Egypt took an interest in "all Islamic, Coptic and Jewish antiquities on its territory," because all were part of the country's heritage. "These projects are overseen by the Supreme Council of Antiquities without funds from abroad or from foreigners or Jews," Hawass said of work to restore Jewish sites.
| "In other words, this synagogue is part of the heritage of Muslim Egyptians, the others being mere sojourners so long as they have permission, even should their family trace back to the First Dynasty itself. Capeesh?" |
The Maimonides synagogue, known in Egypt by its Arabic name of Musa bin Maymun, is named after the 12th century Jewish scholar, philosopher and physician.
Egypt began restoration work on Jewish sites several years ago.
The country restored diplomatic ties with Israel in 1979, but many in the predominantly Muslim nation are against better cultural ties with the Jewish state. The authorities are generally discreet about restoration work on Jewish sites, fearing an adverse reaction from groups that oppose normalisation of ties with Israel.
Egypt's Jewish population, which numbered in the tens of thousands and enjoyed complete religious freedom, began a mass exodus after Egypt and several other Arab countries fought a war in 1948 with the new state of Israel.
| Shortly after 1948 Egypt made it illegal for male Jews aged eighteen or older to be within the country's borders. The second exodus was not quite so precipitous as the first, but did not involve forty years of wandering through the desert. |
Only a few dozen Jews still remain in Egypt.
| If there are only a few dozen, they'd only rattle around in that beautifully refurbished synagogue anyway, and they'd never be able to afford the upkeep. Just as well Supremo Hawass is playing keep away with it. Soon enough Egypt will be Judenfrei anyway, and this way there won't be any tracked in mud or fingerprints to clean up. |
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