Controversy in Jerusalem: The City Of David

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Jawad says that El'Ad uses the dig's archeological prestige to hide its aim of moving the locals out. And he believes that the tunneling is a way for El'Ad to extend its reach deeper into Silwan.

"They think you're digging under their houses," Stahl told Doron Spielman while in one of the tunnels.

"It does at points go underneath homes. Deep underneath the ground. Which is why we have these metal supports around us," he replied.

"But it's under Arab homes," she said.

"It's under Jewish homes, Arab homes, and a road," Spielman said. "What concerns these residents, Lesley, is not the tunnel. It's where the tunnel's going. It's what the tunnel means that concerns them."

"Well, where's the tunnel going?" she asked.

"The tunnel one day will open into the Western Wall Plaza. Then you will have undergone an experience that shows the Jewish Temple was important 600 years before Muhammad," Spielman said.

To understand why this is so explosive, you have to understand the geography. Silwan lies in the shadow of some of the holiest sites in the world: Judaism's Western Wall, and Islam's Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque.

"There's a feeling of encroachment. The Arab's feel it," Stahl remarked.

"There's no other place in the world that Jews want to live in more than here. The Arabs have Mecca, they have Medina and they may also be interested in Jerusalem. But for the Jews, this is our only home," Spielman said.

That feeling of Jewish encroachment has been heightened by the mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, who is doing all he can to make sure East Jerusalem remains under Israeli sovereignty.

"We have to maintain a united Jerusalem," Barkat told a crowd at a function we attended.

The mayor brought Stahl to a hilltop over Silwan to show her his latest project, called "King's Garden."

"This is the most important area in the world," he said. "And in the valley right there below us is where King's Garden was."

He wants to create a Bible-themed garden and turn it into a tourist park adjacent to the City of David. But as with the dig, the local Arabs see this as another attempt to gobble up their side of Jerusalem. Building the mayor's park requires demolishing 22 Arab homes in Silwan.

"If you began to demolish these houses, it would be explosive, wouldn't it?" Stahl asked.

"That's why you have to be very smart and sensitive dealing with an area so important in the city of Jerusalem," the mayor said.

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by BlackMagic1970 June 16, 2011 2:19 PM EDT: I've been in the military and worked in stability operations in the Middle East for years; many senior leaders in the US military have had the longstanding view that the death of American service-members and Middle East unrest have been tied to our imbalanced policies towards Israel - a source of instability.

We have long known that Israel has been continuously "wagging the dog" and inflaming incidents which would support their position: The US should view Israel as its sole true partner for democracy and peace in the Middle East. A major problem now is the Arab Uprising. The uprising and "Democracy" in Arab states could make Israel not that unique or as INCREDIBLY important to US-Middle East interests.

Putting all religion and all the "we are God's chosen people" hype aside, our administration is correctly listening to our national security advisers: putting all of our eggs solely in the Israeli basket is a bad move; we are losing blood and treasure because of it.

This 60-minute piece simply highlights the bad behavior that we've always known to existed, namely in the Netanyahoo ultra-conservative party. At some point, this Israeli administration needs a bit of an ass-whooping to remind it of its proper place&"you are a vassal of an external power, which for now and hopefully in the long future will be the US; shut it! And Do as you're told!"; Reply to this comment

by wbrenner99 June 13, 2011 2:29 PM EDT

Read John Loftus' book The Secret War against the Jews to learn the true story behind the Liberty, a USN ship under the command of the NSC. When challenged it replied "Identify Yourselves!"
the same answer given by an Egyptian spy ship off Haifa a few days earlier. The US Navy NEVER mounted a rescue operation. The ISraelis realizing their mistake towed the ship in to port, gave medical aid and paid reparations to the families.

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by Condem June 14, 2011 11:05 AM EDT: Thanks for spreading the truth instead of perpetuating lies that is the playbook of the Jew-haters.


by Superdeeduper June 8, 2011 2:50 PM EDT: If these two peoples can not come to an agreement on cartographic terms there is little hope they will ever achieve peace on any "scale". I'd wager this conflict was the basis for Dr. Suess's story about the north-going & south-going Zax! (For those of you unfamiliar, here is the wikipedia description:

The Zax is a lesson about the importance of compromise. In the story a North-going Zax and a South-going Zax meet, quite unwillingly, face to face in the Prairie of Prax.

Because they refuse to move east, west, or any direction except their respective headings, the two Zax become stuck, as they refuse to move around each other. The Zax stand so long that eventually a highway overpass is built around them, and the story ends with the Zax still standing there "Unbudged in their tracks."); Reply to this comment


by Joemarkovic June 7, 2011 6:53 PM EDT: Leslie Stahl's hate for the Jews is so great that she will defend murderers its mind shattering.
She is trying to protect the same people who sing and dance when US troops are murdered.
She wants the Israelis to have peace talks with people who want to kill them. Is she nuts? Would she try to negotiate with suicide bombers?
I have lost all respect for her. Time to get someone else anyone else.; Reply to this comment


by Chyness June 7, 2011 6:35 PM EDT: Congratulations Leslie for an excellent program on Jerusalem, and thank you for asking questions of the Mayor, and persisting when he tried to sidestep answering them. The answers that he finally provided truly revealed his exceeding arrogance and the injustice of what is happening there to the Palestinians. A courageous piece, and one that I bet will be a real eye-opener to many of your viewers.; Reply to this comment

by fv0828 June 7, 2011 1:41 PM EDT

I will not forget Isreal's attack on the USS Liberty in the '67 war. They will do so to anyone who stands in the way of their plans. Isreal is obsessed with their State of Isreal, so much so that they still believe to this day that they have a Divine mandate to continue where they left off after the Romans drove them out @70AD. Back before then God promised them land from the Sinai Peninsula to the Tigris and Euphrates if they followed the Covenant. So now they can push aside persons that don't belong on THEIR previusly given land. It is rediculous and absurd to believe that God only came for one Nation protected from all outside enemies. When the recent rockets started to hit Isreal recently, I really got scared that End times were upon us . However , someday this is going to happen and things will go beserk there and the world economy will collapse and the world breifly will be under control from Jerusalem.

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by Superdeeduper June 9, 2011 12:04 PM EDT: Of course for atheists (of which I am not) the whole argument seems preposterous, regardless.


by agb100 June 11, 2011 5:04 PM EDT: The Liberty incident was ruled an accident and miscommunication by the US Congress, regardless what Arabist Rep. Findley who was disgraced imagines. It doesn't matter what you spout about divine mandates. The facts on the ground and history are what count. The Jews lived on that land for 4000 years and have never left that land. Some Jews have. Those Jews returned because no Jew ever conveyed the land to others.

The Palestinians were mostly imported for labor. They have no long lasting tie to the land, and their holy cities are Mecca and Medina, not Jerusalem.

The Jews did not push the Palestinians out of the land. Other Arabs told them to leave - and some were frightened. The Palestinians are not the first people who were displaced. Every world war displaced millions. Millions of Muslims and Hindus were displaced by the Indo-Pak wars.

One million Jews were displaced about the same time from the various Arab countries as they fled for their lives and were resettled in Israel. Their property and homes were taken. Why don't you ask for that property back and the repatriation of the Jews who had to leave?

Israel consists of 1/6th of 1% of areas OCCUPIED by Arabs. There is plenty of space to resettle the Palestinians in 99.6% of the land not occupied by Jews but occupied by other Arabs.

There is no such thing as a Palestinian nation, country, people, identity, culture, civilization, language, history, religion, currency or coin - and there never was such a thing.

And then, when all is settled, the Arabs should return the businesses, farms, homes and land taken from the Jews to the descendants of the Jews who live in Europe and America and Israel.

It is time to STOP the Arab Occupation of Jewish Land!


by BlackMagic1970 June 16, 2011 2:08 PM EDT: @agb100: "The Jews lived on that land for 4000 years..."

Why 4000 years? Why pick that line of demarcation? Who lived there before? Wasn't Canaan that patch of land a part of Egypt; so give them back their land?

I think that modern-day Israelis need to count their blessings that we took out Hilter and gave European Jews a place to live. The arrogance of these ultra-conservative, zionists (European refugees) who are part of the present "Netanyahoo-hoo" regime are costing Americans lives. They are doing it much like the extreme Islamists they call "terrorist" - all in the name of God; clandestinely terrorizing and taunting Arab Muslims; then claiming they are justified in killing them; all as the world, especially the Middle East violently reacts to the obvious injustice and the partiality we show Israel. Then, we have to step in and defend the Israeli initiated/supported/created mess! More dying for Americans; more money lost from America!

Israel has done very well for itself. But, it's time for Israelis to get Bibi Netanyahoo-hoo and crew to stop believing their own hype; they are making Israel losing credibility and a voice.

I think it's unfortunate that Netanyahoo may in fact be the worst thing for Israel, much like George W. Bush and his ilk was for our country. Israeli citizens don't need to worry about Iran...it has Netanyahoo dragging a potential positive influence in the Middle East down into the mud with what comes across as racist and hateful antics. But, we are to blame. Our congress right now seems ok with giving him a platform. But, our military commander get they see what is happening; they are at the front lines assessing the true sources of the problem bringing us to conflicts - present Israeli arrogance.

Rise up Israelis; punt Netanyahoo-hoo back to Europe.

by fjdaum June 7, 2011 9:32 AM EDT

Leslie Stahl's story regarding Jerusalem was horrible. It showed a terrible lack of knowledge on the subject and a total ignorance of history. Where did she get her background informance (or lack of) for this story. It makes me wonder if I should believe any other stories on 60 minutes.

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by BAJActuary June 7, 2011 2:20 PM EDT: Join the other anti-Stahl bigots. The line forms to the right - the extreme right - behind Netanyahu.


by valcarcj June 7, 2011 12:36 AM EDT: The US needs to live up to its policy of separation of Church and State. Each year the US distributes millions of taxpayer dollars with special terms, to Israel, simply on the basis that religious texts assign the disputed land to the Israelites/Jews. It is simply funding of a religious group. The US should also make it illegal and unpatriotic for any US government official to accept donations from lobby groups that lobby for the interests of foreign entities. e.g. AIPAC

Nobody in Washington DC, NY, or Hollywood has the guts to say one word that sounds like a challenge or admonition to Israel, because they all depend on the money and clout of the pro-Israel lobby. Money talks !
Kudos to Ms. Stahl for showing some courage in her interview. I hope you don't suffer the same fate as Helen Thomas, for her candour on the subject of Israel.

http://www.ifamericansknew.org/; Reply to this comment


by chuckwiche June 6, 2011 11:25 PM EDT: Leslie,
I have a lot of respect for your ability to conduct the interviews in the story. The Mayor or Jerusalem and the Director of the "archaeological dig" were incredibly arrogant. I had always thought of the Jewish people as being reasonable but their attitude was clear: they are "right", involved in the most important activity to mankind, and nothing is going to stand in their way. They see the world in black and white, have the power, and are clearly creating problems in the region. Yes, Jerusalem has history for the Jews. The same prophets are the heritage of the Muslims! I can't believe that Mayor said the Muslims have Mecca and Jerusalem is for the Jews alone. I am so glad Obama reiterated Clinton's plan. The U.S. needs to stop supporting Israel at any cost. There will never be peace in the Middle East until the Muslims are treated fairly.
This is the first time I have ever commented about a news story but this story was such a jolt to my perception of the situation I was moved to write. thank you,
Chuck; Reply to this comment

by Condem June 6, 2011 10:50 PM EDT

The Arabs have no interest in anything less than the total conquest of all Israel and the death of all its Jews. If they were not satisfied before 1948 with the presence of Jews, they certainly won't be happy with pre-1967 lines. Given the opportunity, the Arabs would kill every Jew in Israel which they have attempted to do time and time again. The Israeli Jews, on the other hand, have had both the opportunity and the means to kill every Arab in Israel but have not. Why? Humanity. The Jews have it, the Arabs do not.

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by cassiecarey June 7, 2011 1:10 AM EDT: The Jews are not the children of God. They are converts. They want to be but the bible says the children of God is scattered through captivity. They are going through curses that Moses said would happen because they rejected God laws. Sorry but they are just white folks pretending to be the real Jews to take the land of God for money. Thats why they have tourist instead of keeping the land holy.