Latest news with #Torah
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
It should be legal to make people angry, even by burning the Koran
Had Hamit Coskun torched a bible on the steps of St Paul's Cathedral would he have been charged with any crime? If he had set fire to a copy of the Torah outside a synagogue in north London's Stamford Hill, what then? Judging by this week's conviction of Coskun for burning a Koran outside the Turkish embassy in London it all depends on the reaction. His case has become a totemic free speech issue, yet it is really about how the courts interpret the law on public order and so-called 'hate' offences. People take the desecration of holy texts extremely seriously. The limits of tolerance were tested in Sweden a few years ago when a Muslim activist threatened to burn a Torah scroll outside the Israeli embassy in Stockholm. The odd thing about this was that provided permission from the police had been sought it was a perfectly lawful thing to do. But when the go-ahead was given under a constitutionally protected right to 'freedom of assembly, expression and demonstration.', the roof caved in. Isaac Herzog, the Israeli president, said 'permitting the defacement of sacred texts is not an exercise in freedom of expression, it is blatant incitement and an act of pure hate.' The threat (which in the event was not carried out) was made in response to a series of Koran burnings in Stockholm that caused fury in the Islamic world and led to an attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad. So, are such texts to be protected by law or does freedom of expression mean those who do not share the faith, or hold any religious beliefs, are licensed to do whatever they please? Many people in response to the Coskun case appear to believe free speech is an absolute in this country; but it isn't and never has been. For a few centuries, it is true, people have been free (or used to be free) to say what they thought provided they did not incite violence. One exception was the common law offence of blasphemy and the related crime of blasphemous libel. These were formally abolished in England and Wales in 2008 and in Scotland only last year. They continue to be offences in Northern Ireland and apply only to the Christian faith. Burning a bible in Armagh would, presumably, be considered blasphemous. English law does not forbid the burning of a holy book. Indeed, the district judge in the Coskun case was at pains to say he was not being arraigned for this but for disorderly behaviour under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and the Public Order Act 1986. Coskun, a Turkish-born opponent of president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, held the burning book aloft and shouted 'Islam is the religion of terrorists' and 'the Koran is burning'. It was what happened next that made this a crime. A man emerged from an adjacent property and attacked Coskun, threatening to kill him, and a passer-by joined in. He was found guilty of disorderly behaviour 'within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress,' motivated by 'hostility towards members of a religious group, namely followers of Islam.' The judge said: 'What made his conduct disorderly was the timing and location of the conduct and that all this was accompanied by abusive language… That the conduct was disorderly is not better illustrated than by the fact that it led to serious public disorder involving him being assaulted by two different people.' Yet if someone carrying out a legal activity, namely burning a book, is attacked then surely it is the assailant who is at fault. Arguably, Coskun was not aiming his protest at Muslims but at their religion. The two are not the same, even if adherents disagree, and our right to criticise a religion must be upheld. But our free speech protections have become so tied up with other laws that they are rendered redundant. The prosecutor in the Coskun case said his conviction did not represent any restriction on criticising religion but that is disingenuous to put it charitably. The cause of this legal confusion is the expansion of a multi-cultural society and Parliament's belief that criticising a faith is a proxy for racist hatred. Politicians believe we need laws to protect minority groups from abuse; but these are now used to shut down perfectly legitimate opinions and activities. Over the years we have seen the gradual prohibition of ideas because they hurt someone's feelings or make them angry. But as long as there is no attempt or intention to provoke violence, why should this be a matter for the criminal law? Moreover, why should it be forbidden to criticise any faith whether it be Islam, Judaism or Christianity? We are assured that this is still permitted and yet it evidently isn't if to do so leads to an arrest because it inspires a hostile reaction. The Public Order Act means any conduct deemed 'likely' to cause someone 'harassment, alarm or distress' can be punishable. The word 'likely' needs to be removed from legislation since it is impossible to define. Indeed, the fault here lies with Parliament's constant tinkering. America's founding fathers introduced the First Amendment to the constitution because they did not trust the legislature to uphold free speech. It states that 'Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech'. That is unambiguous whereas legislators here have done nothing but meddle to the point where no-one is clear where the boundaries lie any more. There is more to come with a new definition of 'Islamophobia' being drawn up by a committee appointed by Angela Rayner due to be published next month. The Coskun case has become a cause célèbre, taken up by the Free Speech Union and the National Secular Society which objects to the revival of a blasphemy law and is backing an appeal. In particular, it is seen as a unique protection for Islam, though I doubt Hasidic Jews would take kindly to a Torah being burned outside their synagogue after a Shabbat service. Any threat of disorder would presumably trigger an arrest, though I would not be confident of that. The cost of defending freedom can come at a much higher price than the £240 fine received by Coskun. The Swedish Koran burner, Salwan Momika, was murdered in Stockholm earlier this year. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Huckabee condemns efforts to erase Jewish history to the Holy Land as ‘absurd'
EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee stressed the importance of acknowledging the Jewish people's historic connection to the Land of Israel, describing global efforts to deny this link as "absurd." "First of all, archeology is a daily reminder of the connection between this land and the Jewish people going all the way back to 3,500 to 3,800 years, whether it's Shilo, whether it's Jerusalem," Huckabee told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview in Jerusalem on Thursday. His comments came as Jews worldwide celebrate Shavuot, the biblical holiday commemorating God's giving of the Torah to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Battle For Biblical Archaeology Intensifies As Israeli Researchers Face Academic Boycott Huckabee pointed to archaeological evidence as strong support for the biblical account. "The excavations at the City of David alone are a validation of the biblical record of what really did happen here. Sometimes people on the far-left love to say 'follow the science, follow the science,' and I would say to them, as it relates to the land and the connections to the Jewish people, follow the science of archaeology." The remarks come amid an ongoing diplomatic war by the Palestinian Authority — which was granted non-member observer state status at the United Nations in 2012 — to revise historical narratives in international forums where anti-Israel majorities are common. Read On The Fox News App For example, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2016 registered the Cave of the Patriarchs — the burial site of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their wives Sarah, Rebecca and Leah, located in Hebron—under the name of the "State of Palestine" on its "List of World Heritage in Danger." Rare 2,300-Year-old Gold Ring Discovered In Jerusalem's City Of David In a separate move, the U.N. General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution in 2021 referring to the Temple Mount — Judaism's holiest site, located in Jerusalem but beyond the 1967 borders — solely by its Islamic name, "Haram al-Sharif." "For 20 years, I have been pushing back against an effort from the PA, Hamas, European-funded anti-Israel NGOs, and the U.N. to try and prevent excavations from coming to life," said Doron Spielman, author of the new book "When the Stones Speak: The Remarkable Discovery of the City of David and What Israel's Enemies Don't Want You to Know," a book that shows the historical and indigenous connection to the Holy Land of the Jews. "There are thousands of discoveries that prove the connection of the Jewish people to the biblical heartland, but in particular the clay seal impressions of Yehuchal—the son of Shelemiah—and Gedaliah—the son of Pashur—that were found at the site believed to be King David's palace," explained Spielman. "They are directly quoted in the Bible as having attempted to kill the prophet Jeremiah." In 2008, Israeli archaeologist Eilat Mazar revealed the discovery of a clay seal impression, or bulla, bearing the name Gedaliah, son of Pashhur. The artifact was unearthed during a dig in the City of David, located just south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The bulla was found close to where, in 2005, a similar seal inscribed with the name Yehuchal had been discovered. Both individuals are known from the bible as officials who served under King Zedekiah, the final monarch of the Kingdom of Judah before the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple in 587 B.C. Leading Evangelicals In Push To Have President Trump Recognize Israeli Sovereignty Over 'Biblical Heartland' "The bullas can be seen, they are on display at the Israel Museum and in traveling exhibitions. They have gone from one side of the world to the other because the Palestinians created a narrative attempting to erase any connection between Jews, and by extension Christians, to the Land of Israel," continued Spielman. Huckabee emphasized that archaeological discoveries continue to affirm the scriptural narrative connecting the Jewish people to the land. "Every time some new discovery is unearthed it validates the biblical record, so the proof is pretty strong that that connection is not something that goes back to 1948 or 1917 the Balfour Declaration - it goes all the way back to the time of Abraham. That's pretty far back," he said. For his part, Spielman voiced concern that the message isn't resonating with the mainstream, particularly among younger generations. "On campuses in the U.S., people are chanting 'From the River to the Sea,' and calling the Jews colonizers," he said, in reference to the mantra calling for the "liberation" of "Palestine" through the elimination of Israel. "This expression comes from people taught to believe that the Jews have no connection to the Land of Israel, and I'm fearful because it leads to violence. When people come to erase your history, they are on their way to trying to erase you as a nation. "We have seen it before and if we do not stop the trend, it will happen again," he article source: Huckabee condemns efforts to erase Jewish history to the Holy Land as 'absurd'
Fox News
13 hours ago
- General
- Fox News
Huckabee condemns efforts to erase Jewish history to the Holy Land as ‘absurd'
EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee stressed the importance of acknowledging the Jewish people's historic connection to the Land of Israel, describing global efforts to deny this link as "absurd." "First of all, archeology is a daily reminder of the connection between this land and the Jewish people going all the way back to 3,500 to 3,800 years, whether it's Shilo, whether it's Jerusalem," Huckabee told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview in Jerusalem on Thursday. His comments came as Jews worldwide celebrate Shavuot, the biblical holiday commemorating God's giving of the Torah to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Huckabee pointed to archaeological evidence as strong support for the biblical account. "The excavations at the City of David alone are a validation of the biblical record of what really did happen here. Sometimes people on the far-left love to say 'follow the science, follow the science,' and I would say to them, as it relates to the land and the connections to the Jewish people, follow the science of archaeology." The remarks come amid an ongoing diplomatic war by the Palestinian Authority — which was granted non-member observer state status at the United Nations in 2012 — to revise historical narratives in international forums where anti-Israel majorities are common. For example, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in 2016 registered the Cave of the Patriarchs — the burial site of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their wives Sarah, Rebecca and Leah, located in Hebron—under the name of the "State of Palestine" on its "List of World Heritage in Danger." In a separate move, the U.N. General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution in 2021 referring to the Temple Mount — Judaism's holiest site, located in Jerusalem but beyond the 1967 borders — solely by its Islamic name, "Haram al-Sharif." "For 20 years, I have been pushing back against an effort from the PA, Hamas, European-funded anti-Israel NGOs, and the U.N. to try and prevent excavations from coming to life," said Doron Spielman, author of the new book "When the Stones Speak: The Remarkable Discovery of the City of David and What Israel's Enemies Don't Want You to Know," a book that shows the historical and indigenous connection to the Holy Land of the Jews. "There are thousands of discoveries that prove the connection of the Jewish people to the biblical heartland, but in particular the clay seal impressions of Yehuchal—the son of Shelemiah—and Gedaliah—the son of Pashur—that were found at the site believed to be King David's palace," explained Spielman. "They are directly quoted in the Bible as having attempted to kill the prophet Jeremiah." In 2008, Israeli archaeologist Eilat Mazar revealed the discovery of a clay seal impression, or bulla, bearing the name Gedaliah, son of Pashhur. The artifact was unearthed during a dig in the City of David, located just south of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The bulla was found close to where, in 2005, a similar seal inscribed with the name Yehuchal had been discovered. Both individuals are known from the bible as officials who served under King Zedekiah, the final monarch of the Kingdom of Judah before the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and the First Temple in 587 B.C. "The bullas can be seen, they are on display at the Israel Museum and in traveling exhibitions. They have gone from one side of the world to the other because the Palestinians created a narrative attempting to erase any connection between Jews, and by extension Christians, to the Land of Israel," continued Spielman. Huckabee emphasized that archaeological discoveries continue to affirm the scriptural narrative connecting the Jewish people to the land. "Every time some new discovery is unearthed it validates the biblical record, so the proof is pretty strong that that connection is not something that goes back to 1948 or 1917 the Balfour Declaration - it goes all the way back to the time of Abraham. That's pretty far back," he said. For his part, Spielman voiced concern that the message isn't resonating with the mainstream, particularly among younger generations. "On campuses in the U.S., people are chanting 'From the River to the Sea,' and calling the Jews colonizers," he said, in reference to the mantra calling for the "liberation" of "Palestine" through the elimination of Israel. "This expression comes from people taught to believe that the Jews have no connection to the Land of Israel, and I'm fearful because it leads to violence. When people come to erase your history, they are on their way to trying to erase you as a nation. "We have seen it before and if we do not stop the trend, it will happen again," he added.
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Suspect in Colorado flamethrower attack told police he targeted ‘Zionist group'
Eight people were injured in the attack in Colorado, some with burns, as a group was concluding a weekly demonstration to raise visibility for the hostages who remain in Gaza. Witnesses reported the man shouted 'Free Palestine' during the attack. A bomb disposal robot is deployed at the Pearl Street Mall (David Zalubowski/AP) An FBI affidavit says Soliman confessed to the attack after being taken into custody on Sunday and told the police he would do it again. The affidavit was released in support of a federal hate crime charged filed by the Justice Department on Monday. The burst of violence at the popular Pearl Street shopping centre, a four-block area in central Boulder, unfolded against the backdrop of a war between Israel and Hamas that continues to inflame global tensions and has contributed to a spike in antisemitic violence in the US. The attack happened on the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which is marked with the reading of the Torah, and barely a week after a man who also yelled 'Free Palestine' was charged with fatally shooting two Israeli embassy employees outside a Jewish museum in Washington. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement on Monday saying he, his wife and the nation of Israel were praying for the full recovery of the people wounded in the 'vicious terror attack' in Colorado. 'Sadly, attacks like this are becoming too common across the country,' said Mark Michalek, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Denver field office. In New York, the police department said it had upped its presence at religious sites throughout the city for Shavuot. The eight victims who were wounded were aged between 52 and 88 and the injuries ranged from serious to minor, officials said. The attack occurred as people with a volunteer group called Run For Their Lives was concluding a weekly demonstration to raise visibility for the hostages who remain in Gaza. Sniffer dogs were involved in the police response (David Zalubowski/AP) Video from the scene shows a witness shouting, 'He's right there. He's throwing Molotov cocktails', as a police officer with his gun drawn advances on a bare-chested suspect holding containers in each hand. Alex Osante, of San Diego, said he was having lunch when he heard the crash of a bottle breaking on the ground and a 'boom' sound followed by people yelling and screaming. In video of the scene captured by Mr Osante, people can be seen pouring water on a woman lying on the ground who Mr Osante said had caught fire during the attack. After the initial attack, Mr Osante said the suspect went behind some bushes and then re-emerged and threw a petrol bomb, but apparently accidentally caught himself on fire as he threw it. The man then took off his shirt and what appeared to be a bulletproof vest before the police arrived. The man dropped to the ground and was arrested without any apparent resistance in the video filmed by Mr Osante. Law enforcement found more than a dozen unlit petrol bombs near where Soliman was arrested. Inside his car, officers found papers with the words 'Israel', 'Palestine,' and 'USAid', the affidavit says. Soliman told investigators he constructed homemade petrol bombs after doing research online and buying the ingredients. He drove to Boulder with the devices in his car and stopped on the way for fuel, according to the affidavit. He said in his interview that his goal was to 'kill all Zionists', the FBI said, and that he targeted the group and knew they they would be assembled on Sunday afternoon. Boulder County courthouse (David Zalubowski/AP) 'He stated that he had been planning the attack for a year and was waiting until after his daughter graduated to conduct the attack,' the affidavit says. Authorities said on Sunday they believed Soliman acted alone and that no other suspect was being sought. He was also injured and was taken to hospital to be treated. Authorities did not give details of his injuries, but a booking photo showed him with a large bandage over one ear. Soliman was living in the US illegally after entering the country in August 2022 on a B2 visa that expired in February 2023, Department of Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. She added that Soliman filed for asylum in September 2022 and was granted a work authorisation in March 2023 that had expired. Public records listed him as living in a modest rented townhouse in Colorado Springs, where local media outlets reported federal law enforcement agents were on the scene on Sunday. An online resume under Soliman's name said he was employed by a Denver-area health care company working in accounting and inventory control, with previous employers listed as companies in Egypt. Under education, the resume listed Al-Azhar University, a historic centre for Islamic and Arabic learning in Cairo. FBI leaders immediately declared the attack an act of terrorism and the Justice Department denounced it as a 'needless act of violence, which follows recent attacks against Jewish Americans'. 'This act of terror is being investigated as an act of ideologically motivated violence based on the early information, the evidence, and witness accounts. We will speak clearly on these incidents when the facts warrant it,' FBI deputy director Dan Bongino said.
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
What is Shavuot? The Jewish festival that started hours after Boulder, Colorado, attack
Sunday afternoon's attack in Boulder, Colorado, took place hours before the start of a major Jewish festival, Shavuot. Authorities say a man used a flamethrower and threw an incendiary device into a group holding one of its regular rallies in solidarity with Israeli hostages in Gaza. Eight people were injured, some with burns. What is Shavuot? Shavuot (pronounced Shah-voo-OTE), Hebrew for 'weeks,' has been observed since biblical times. It marks the passing of seven weeks (49 days) from the holiday of Passover, with Shavuot falling on the 50th day. In biblical times, Shavuot was an agricultural festival, when Israelites would bring harvest offerings to the temple. Today, it's primarily commemorated as the traditional date on which God gave the Torah — the law that forms the heart of the Jewish Scriptures — to Moses on Mount Sinai, as described in the Bible. The 50-day time period gives the festival its Greek name, Pentecost, which is also the name for a holy day on the Christian calendar. When is Shavuot? Shavuot falls on the 6th of Sivan on the Jewish calendar, which reckons days as beginning at sundown. This year, Shavuot began Sunday evening and continues for one or two days, depending on tradition. For Jews inside Israel and for Reform Jews, the festival lasts for one day. Other traditions outside of Israel observe Shavuot for two days, ending Tuesday evening this year. (The variation stems from different traditions on when to observe lunar holidays, which historically were based on moon observations in ancient Israel.) Shavuot typically falls in May or June on the Gregorian calendar. How is Shavuot observed? Jews celebrate with readings of the biblical book of Exodus, including the Ten Commandments. Some mark the occasion with all-night readings from the Torah and other religious texts. Observant Jews refrain from work on Shavuot. The biblical book of Ruth, about a woman who embraces the Jewish faith, is often read and studied. Shavuot celebrations are often marked by the consumption of dairy products, such as cheesecake and cheese-filled blintzes. Explanations for this tradition vary; one is that the Torah is like nourishing milk for the spirit. Reform Judaism has traditionally connected Shavuot to its rite of confirmation for teens, in which they affirmed their commitment to Jewish life. Somber observances Tragically, this year's Shavuot is not the first time in recent memory that Jews have marked a normally festive holiday in grim circumstances. Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, claiming about 1,200 lives, took place on Simchat Torah, a date when Jews celebrate the completion of their year-long cycle of Torah readings. Sunday's gathering in Boulder was to raise attention for the 58 hostages, around a third believed to be alive, who are still being held by Hamas. A statement from Rabbi Yisroel and Leah Wilhelm, directors of the Rohr Chabad House at the University of Colorado in Boulder, asked people to celebrate the holiday while keeping the victims in their prayers. 'We encourage everyone to respond energetically to this attack by celebrating Shavuot joyously, by attending the reading of the Ten Commandments, and by recommitting to the heritage and traditions we hold so dear,' they said. ___ Sources: 'What is a Jew?' by Rabbis Morris N. Kertzer and Lawrence A. Hoffman; ; ; Jewish Agency for Israel; JCC Association of North America. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
