The battle over Acre: Who was there first?

The battle over Acre: Who was there first?

Wednesday 19 August 2009
Uri Avnery

The ancient port of Acre is now the object of a fierce battle. The Arab inhabitants of the town want the port to bear the name of Arab hero Issa al-Awam, a general under Saladin, the Muslim leader who defeated the Crusaders.

The municipality of Acre, which is dominated by the Jewish inhabitants, has decided to give the port the name of an Israeli functionary.

The Arab citizens set up a monument for their hero. The municipality declared it to be an "illegal structure" and decided to destroy it.

This could have been a small local conflict, one of many in this mixed and quarrelsome town, if it did not have such profound ideological and political implications.

I love old Acre. For me, it is the most beautiful and interesting town in the country, after east Jerusalem.

It is one of the most ancient towns in the country, perhaps in the whole world.

It is mentioned in the Bible in the first chapter of Judges - which, by the way, completely contradicts the genocidal book of Joshua.

The chapter enumerates the Canaanite towns which were not conquered by the children of Israel.

http://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/index.php/news/features/The-battle-over-Acre-Who-was-there-first

or Akko.

Decent historical outlook, terribly biased though.