‘Glick had warm words for the new Minister of Internal Security, Gilad Erdan [Likud], whom he said has been taking action regarding the Muslim rioting in [Al Haram Al Sharif].”
These words should sum up the Israeli government’s design to change the status quo of Al Haram Al Sharif in occupied Jerusalem. The above report, published in Arutz Sheva, comes on the heels of an Israeli police crackdown on Muslim worshippers in Al Aqsa Mosque. Palestinians are completely aware that this act is fundamentally based on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s push for the implementation of a long-espoused policy of forceful and complete control of Al Haram Al Sharif.
Yehuda Glick, a US-born fanatic and current chairman of the Temple Mount Heritage Fund, has stood at the heart of a major scheme to change the status of Al Haram Al Sharif, which has been managed by the Islamic Trust (Waqf), following the illegal Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza in 1967.
Al Haram Al Sharif remains an Islamic religious symbol. On September 13, at least 100 Palestinians were injured by the Israeli police when many worshippers barricaded themselves inside the mosque. Israeli forces sealed the area before attacking them.
Now that the Israeli government is teeming with more right-wing and ultra-nationalist politicians, and supported by more religious zealots than ever before, it is an opportune time to carry out its sinister plans regarding the Muslim holy site.
But there is a historical basis that is essential in understanding the current story. On February 25, 1994, a US-born Jewish fanatic, Baruch Goldstein, stormed into the Ibrahimi Mosque in the Palestinian city of Al Khalil (Hebron) and opened fire. The result was 30 dead and more than 120 wounded.
Israeli soldiers within the vicinity of the Ibrahimi Mosque not only allowed Goldstein — armed with a Galil rifle and other weapons — access to the mosque, but also, according to witnesses, opened fire on worshippers as they tried to flee the scene. They killed 24 more and injured others.
The colonists, who play an important role in Israel’s colonial stratagem, are tirelessly and ruthlessly on the lookout for more land, strategic hills and coveted holy places belonging to Muslims and Christians.They search for evidence of what they believe to be ancient Jewish temples, presumably destroyed in 586BC and 70AD.
To fulfil “prophecy”, Jewish extremists believe that a third temple must be built. But of course, there is the ‘inconvenient’ reality that on that particular spot exists one of Islam’s holiest sites — Al Haram Al Sharif, which has been an exclusively Muslim prayer site for the last 1,300 years. Located in occupied Jerusalem’s Old City is the home of Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, which has been under constant threat, attacks, subjected to acts of arson and military violence for nearly five decades. The few Muslim clergy — belonging to the Islamic Trust that manages the area, along with the custodianship of Jordan — are mindful of the ever-lurking Israeli threat, which often turns deadly.
While the danger of Al Aqsa Mosque collapsing is very real, it is a representation of the mentality that rules Israel — one of annexation and military occupation.
The Israeli Knesset (parliament) chose the 20th anniversary of the Goldstein massacre of Palestinians in Al Khalil, to reignite the debate concerning the status of Al Haram Al Sharif. Right-wingers — the bulk of Netanyahu’s government — demand that the Israeli government enforce its “sovereignty” over the Muslim site, which is administered by Jordan, as per the Jordanian-Israeli peace treaty of 1994. While Moshe Feiglin is the man behind this demand, he is not alone. increased his provocative ‘tours’ of the Muslim compound. Along with fellow extremists, he is escorted by Israeli police, who facilitate the visits while suppressing any Palestinian protests at Al Haram Al Sharif. For all of these politicians, the intentions are clear, as stated by Feiglin himself a few years ago: “We have to internalise that this is our land, exclusively ... Most important, we must expel the Muslim Waqf [Trust] from the Temple Mount [Al Haram Al Sharif] and restore exclusive Israeli sovereignty over this most holy site.”
Although the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) under Mahmoud Abbas has reacted with shock to the recent targeting of Al Aqsa Mosque, its position is more political grandstanding than genuine concern. The PNA has done little to challenge Israel’s transgressions.
The Israeli government is, of course, hoping that it will eventually manage to quell the angry Palestinian response to the Al Aqsa takeover. But considering the numerous grievances that Palestinians hold against both Israel and their own quisling leadership, this time, the anger might not easily dissipate, ushering another confrontation and much more bloodletting, of which Palestinians are often the greater victims.
Dr Ramzy Baroud has been writing about the Middle East for more than 20 years. He is an internationally-syndicated columnist, a media consultant, an author of several books and the founder of PalestineChronicle.com. His latest book is My Father Was a Freedom Fighter: Gaza’s Untold Story (Pluto Press, London). His website is ramzybaroud.net
