The Remnants of Mosul’s Jewish History

Last month, Iraqi forces in Mosul liberated from Islamic State (IS) control the site traditionally considered the tomb of the biblical prophet Jonah, famously sent by God to call on the people of Nineveh—located across the Tigris from Mosul—to repent. The tomb was venerated by Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike. Hannah Lynch writes:

[T]he Nabi Younis mosque, [located at the tomb], was first built as a synagogue and then was an Assyrian [Christian] church before being converted into the mosque. . . . Islamic State militants blew it up on July 24, 2014 as part of their campaign to destroy sites they deemed idolatrous. When . . . Iraqi forces took control of it, they found only ruins. . . .

Even before IS arrived, Mosul’s Jewish history was neglected. Rabbi Carlos Huerta, [a former American army chaplain who was stationed in Mosul in 2013], was able to explore the city during his time there and discovered five ancient Jewish synagogues, “all destroyed, some being used as garbage dumps.”

Sherzad Mamsani, the Jewish-affairs representative to the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), confirmed that Jewish historical sites in areas under Iraqi control are in terrible condition. “I can say about 60 percent of them have been turned into garbage areas.” He is worried about the sites, pointing out that they will not have fared well under IS. “We see that IS is destroying Sunni mosques. Imagine what they will do to [Jewish] sites—certainly much worse.”

Read more at Rudaw

More about: History & Ideas, Iraq, Iraqi Jewry, ISIS, Jonah, Kurds, Nineveh

After Taking Steps toward Reconciliation, Turkey Has Again Turned on Israel

“The Israeli government, blinded by Zionist delusions, seizes not only the UN Security Council but all structures whose mission is to protect peace, human rights, freedom of the press, and democracy,” declared the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a speech on Wednesday. Such over-the-top anti-Israel rhetoric has become par for the course from the Turkish head of state since Hamas’s attack on Israel last year, after which relations between Jerusalem and Ankara have been in what Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak describes as “free fall.”

While Erdogan has always treated Israel with a measure of hostility, the past few years had seen steps to reconciliation. Yanarocak explains this sharp change of direction, which is about much more than the situation in Gaza:

The losses at the March 31, 2024 Turkish municipal elections were an unbearable blow for Erdoğan. . . . In retrospect it appears that Erdoğan’s previous willingness to continue trade relations with Israel pushed some of his once-loyal supporters toward other Islamist political parties, such as the New Welfare Party. To counter this trend, Erdoğan halted trade relations, aiming to neutralize one of the key political tools available to his Islamist rivals.

Unsurprisingly, this decision had a negative impact on Turkish [companies] engaged in trade with Israel. To maintain their long-standing trade relationships, these companies found alternative ways to conduct business through intermediary Mediterranean ports.

The government in Ankara also appears to be concerned about the changing balance of power in the region. The weakening of Iran and Hizballah could create an unfavorable situation for the Assad regime in Syria, [empowering Turkish separatists there]. While Ankara is not fond of the mullahs, its core concern remains Iran’s territorial integrity. From Turkey’s perspective, the disintegration of Iran could set a dangerous precedent for secessionists within its own borders.

Read more at Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security

More about: Iran, Israel diplomacy, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Turkey