Talk about a "quagmire!" As I've followed this story over the past few years, I've often wondered how the Israeli government could possibly have handled it any worse than they have from a public relations and diplomatic standpoint as well as a practical one.
The real trouble began back in late 1997, long before the latest terror war, when Israel was gearing up for the influx of Christian pilgrims expected for the "millenium" celebrations. A major focus of these celebrations was to be in Nazareth, home to one of Christianity's holiest sites, the Basilica of the Annunciation. According to Christianity Today,
A public school originally stood on the disputed lot [next to the Basilica]. But local officials tore it down to make way for a tourist plaza as part of Nazareth's Year 2000 development plans.
Before builders could erect the plaza, Nazareth Muslims occupied the 6,500-square-foot site, erecting a tent mosque. The Muslims demanded that Nazareth officials deed the property over to local Islamic authorities. A small shrine to the medieval Islamic warrior Shihab ad-Din is also located on the property.
(For a slightly different version of these events, which highlights the importance of that "small shrine" from a Muslim perspective, see Palestine Report, here.)
At this point, the solution seems rather simple, indeed. Remove the illegal demonstrators and their tent and continue with the construction of the plaza as planned, but with due respect for the integrity of the shrine of Shehab ad-Din. Why this didn't happen is a mystery, although it's been suggested that politics played a role. In retrospect (and even at the time), the failure to nip this problem in the bud appears inexcusable.
But things got worse. The lack of action encouraged larger and more militant demonstrations. Anti-Christian messages were posted on signs and delivered through speeches at the site. There were reports of physical attacks on the Christian residents of Nazareth and on visitors to the Basilica. Nevertheless, in 1999 (in blatant defiance of a court decision on the merits of the Muslim legal claims to the site), the Barak government gave the go-ahead for construction of the mosque, ostensibly to "cool the tension."
That move, of course, had the opposite effect. The violence in Nazareth continued. Loud and adamant protests erupted from Christian leaders all over the world. The Pope threatened to cancel his millenium visit to Israel. Churches throughout the country closed their doors for two days in protest. And pressure was brought to bear, as well, from the U.S., especially after the election of George W. Bush.
In January, 2002, and again in March, the Israeli cabinet voted to halt construction on the Shihab ad-Din mosque, which had been commenced without the necessary permits and approvals. The construction continued nonetheless. Which brings us to last week, when the bulldozers moved in.
Interestingly, the Palestinian Authority has taken the side of the Church on the question of this mosque. Many speculate that this is also a transparent political gesture, designed to win good will (or yet more good will) from the Vatican. Whatever the motivations, however, this position has allowed Israel to demolish the foundations of the mosque without creating yet another point of friction with the PA or a stumbling block for the implementation of the 'Road map.' President Bush's stauch support also helps.
But the issue is far from resolved. Whether or not the plaza is built, as planned, militant Muslims have pledged that there will be continued demonstrations and attempts to erect a mosque on the property. Now it's Muslim leaders who are accusing Israel of pandering to Christian influence and attempting to destroy the foundations of Islam. Of course, that's an old refrain.
Some more background: Islam and Other Peoples' Holy Sites offers an important perspective on this controversy that's too often overlooked. You might also want to take a look at this website, now somewhat outdated, dedicated to the fight against the mosque. Some of the photographs in the "slide show" are illuminating. Finally, it's a shame that this site was never finished. It was created by a Muslim architect to refute the claims that this particular mosque would undermine the integrity of the Basilica in any way. The photo on the front page includes an inset drawing of the proposed mosque that makes it look quite tiny and unimposing. I'm not quite convinced either way, but history is not on his side.
