Israel’s continual attacks in the occupied Palestinians territories and, more poignantly, the assault on Al Aqsa Mosque, the most holy Muslim site in Jerusalem amply demonstrate that the Israelis do not want peace. Nor do they believe in justice. The attackers follow only in their own rules. They consider themselves above the law, any law. Force is still the determining factor of Israel’s actions and decisions.
The latest Israeli police storming of Al-Aqsa and threatening worshippers at gunpoint are no more than flagrant violations of freedom of worship guaranteed by all international agreements.
All of the above points to the fact that Israel plans to Judaise Jerusalem and seize control of Al-Aqsa. It seems that endless violence against Palestinian worshippers is Israel’s way of announcing to the world that they are enacting the policy of its hardline, right-wing government, which the Palestinians will never accept. Consequently, the threat of escalation constantly looms large and will result only in more tension.
The Palestinian authorities consider the latest Israeli offensive against Al-Aqsa a declaration of war. Israeli leaders should wake up to the fact that the Palestinian people are resistant by nature. They are indifferent to Israeli firepower.
This latest raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque comes at a time when Israel is in the throes internal dispute. Meanwhile, the pressure is being piled on to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has for weeks been criticised for his coalition government’s plans to weaken the country’s judiciary.
The Al-Aqsa attack coincides with the holy fasting month of Ramadan for Muslims and Passover for Jews, thus exacerbating hostilities and inflaming existing tensions between Palestinians and Israeli forces.
Since the foundation of Israel in 1948, 100,000 Palstinians have been martyred — of who 100,000 have been killed since the Al-Aqsa Intifada (Uprising) in 2000, according to a report in May 2022 by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
UNRWA records show that a total of 6.4 million Palestinians were refugees December 2020 — almost one-third of them live in tents from UNWRA.
Palestinian records show that Palestine received 319,000 Jews between 1932 and 1947, compared to 58,000 Jews who were living in Palestine in 1914. This is in addition to the displacement of more than 800,000 Palestinians since 1948 and the exodus of more than 200,000 (mostly to Jordan following 1967 war). Palestinians represent 49.9. per cent, and Jews 50.1 per cent of the population in the 27,000 square kilometres of historic Palestine.
The Israeli government should realise that storming Al-Aqsa will spark an immense outburst of Palestinian anger leading to a religious war. The international community should step up efforts to hold the occupying power to account for its unacceptable behaviour in the occupied territories before the situation spirals further out of control. It is imperative to unite Arab efforts in support of Palestine and halt Israeli aggression against the Palestinians.
Mohamed Fahmy is the editor-in-chief
of The Egyptian Gazette and
the Egyptian Mail newspapers
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