The Chtuzpah To Ask

Most people who are not well acquainted with history don't know the complete details of the 1947 United Nations partition place. Most people know that the land was to be divided into six parts, three to be given to the Arabs and three to the Jews. What many don't know is that Yerushalayim was not to be included in any of those six parts but rather was to be maintained under the control of the United Nations as the world's only "international city".
Fortunately God frustrated those plans and today the city is in the hands of its rightful owners. Unfortunately no matter how many years have passed since the miracle of 1967, there are powers in the world that simply cannot accept Jewish sovereignty over our holy city.
Of course there is the Arab world. But even more worrisome now is the new attitude of the Vatican which, in advance of Pope Ratzinger's upcoming visit to Israel, is making an incomprehensible demand:
The Chief Rabbinate issued a special clarification Wednesday stating that according to halachic rule, no Holy Land assets can be handed over to the Vatican.
The ruling followed Pope Benedict XVI's request to be given the title to several of the Christian faith's holy sites, ahead of his upcoming visit to Israel.
On Tuesday the Rabbinate's Holy Sites Commission convened an emergency session on the matter, after which it issued a statement demanding that the government "cease all discussions on the matter".
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Sources within the committee told Ynet that the Foreign Ministry tried to pressure Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger into calling off the meeting.
The statement further read that the Holy Sites Commission convened the meeting after being approached by "rabbis from Jewish communities around the world who expressed their shock and amazement over reports of negotiations on the possible transfer of holy sites in Jerusalem and throughout all of Israel to the Vatican's control."
Rabbi Simcha Hakohen Kook, a member of the commission, told Ynet that he has obtained a list of dozens of sites the pope is asking that Israel hand over to the Vatican's control -19 in the West Bank and 28 in Jerusalem – including the Last Supper room on Mount Zion.
This is amazing. On what are they suddenly basing this claim for Israel to withdraw its control over its own sovereign territory? Because they held those places briefly during the Crusades? Because they can be trusted to be better guardians of those sites?
I realize there is an issue of diplomatic senstivity but then I read that the government has actually enterred into negotiations?
Throughout the 1900 years of history since the fall of the Second Jewish Commonwealth, Yerushalayim has been ruled by many authorities. Only one, count 'em - one, has guaranteed freedom of access and worship to all religions - Israel. When the Crusaders, y"sh, held the city they massacred or drove out all its Jews. The Muslim record of crimes against Jews is longer than any scroll can hold. Only when Jews have held the city have all peoples and faiths been free to walk its streets. And now the Israeli government is considering giving that up?
For shame!