Back to Basics of "Resisting The Occupation"

Photo credits: Flash 90, Jonathan Sindel and Hadas Partosh.

"The decision of Jerusalem Police District Commander Yoram Halevy to place these metal detectors near the Temple Mount is a brave decision because this time last week we had two policemen killed. He is taking responsibility that things like this will not happen again."

"[Israel should not be intimidated by threats and should not reward terrorism by backing down]: I welcome the police on their courageous decisions and cabinet for backing them up."
"This is not a political issue, but a security related. No one is trying the change the status quo on Temple Mount, and I call on all Muslim residents to calm the spirits, avoid violence and listen to the police."

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat 

Once again the Arab and Muslim world is united against Israel. Turkey and Jordan, along with the Palestinian Authority have accused Israel of closing access to faithful Muslims to the al-Aqsa Mosque. Outrage is visceral and spontaneous, denouncing the State of Israel for denying Muslims entry to the Noble Sanctuary for Friday prayers. The Jordanian-sponsored Waqf authority has accused Israel of planning to alter the status quo on the Noble Sanctuary, the third most sacred site in Islam after Mecca and Medina, which just incidentally happens to also be Israel’s most sacred site, the Temple Mount, where archaeological remnants of the Temple of Solomon are located.

A site sacred to Judaism’s heritage for thousands of years before Islam was ever introduced to the world, in the 7^th Century. Where, typical of Islam, Islamic structures were built over the ruins of the Jewish Temple, twice destroyed in antiquity, by the Babylonians and by the Romans. But a site that remained a primary destination for the faithful, for Jews living in Jerusalem, throughout the greater Middle East, and in the far broader diaspora of dispersed Jewry. Muslim authorities insist that what they call the Noble Sanctuary cannot be shared by another religion, irrespective of how vital that site is to a religion and historical antecedents much predating Islam.

Islamic authorities speak of "Jewish feet defiling" the site sacred to Islam. Irrespective of the fact that Jerusalem represents Judaism’s ancient heritage, Muslims claim it as solely their own, and adamantly refuse to allow Jews to enter the sacred environs and to pray there. In the interests of maintaining peace between the two religions, Israel, after its successful defence in the 1967 conflict that liberated East Jerusalem's Old City from Jordan, agreed to allow Jordan to continue its stewardship of the site on behalf of Islam, through the authority of the Waqf which it administers.

Muslims may pray unhindered at their third most holy site in Islam, Jews are forbidden to pray at their most sacred site in Judaism, even though Israel administers the territory as its own. The presence of Jews at the site, permitted to enter but not to pray remains a source of adversity, however, with Muslims resenting Jewish presence and acting on the incitement by their political and religious leaders, hurl insults as Jews as well as rocks in a demonstration of contempt and rage. That demonstration of rage went somewhat further last week when three Arab Palestinians from a small village inside Israel attacked and killed two Israeli police stationed for security purposes at the site.

Those murders led to an immediate but brief shutdown of the site, where no one but police investigators were permitted entry, for obvious reasons, reflecting standard police procedure anywhere in the world where a violent crime of this magnitude is committed. This brief shutdown led to an immediate protest by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, but not a word of condemnation of the atrocity that had led to the shutdown. Saudi Arabia’s king responded by demanding the site immediately be reopened to allow Muslims to enter the al-Aqsa mosque for prayer.

Palestinians pray on a street near a road block outside Jerusalem's Old City July 21, 2017.. (photo credit:REUTERS/AMMAR AWAD)

From those very same sacred precincts came the three assassins carrying their weapons meant to kill Israelis. Connivance with some authorities within the edifices on the Temple Mount was not entirely ruled out, enabling the three to carry out their mission. Entry for Muslims through their special gate into the compound has always been carried out without security checks. Even though weapons, including rocks to be thrown at Israeli security police and tourists have been stored there in the past, to be used to satisfyingly brutal effect.

When within a day the entry gates to the complex were re-opened, it was revealed that security devices had been installed. The Palestinian Authority immediately bristled at the news that metal detectors were put in place and henceforth all who enter the shrine must first undergo a security check. Jerusalem’s elite Muslim cleric Mohammed Hussein, forbade Muslims to enter the gates in protest of the placement of the metal detectors. They must, he insisted, pray instead in their numbers outside the gates. And so, thousands of Muslims appeared on the streets, positioning themselves to pray in protest on the streets outside the gates.

All the while, Palestinians and the world at large were being informed that Israel had betrayed its assurance to the world of Islam of free access to Muslims to their third most holy site. Worse, that plans to alter the site itself were to take place. And in the worst of all possible worlds for Islam and its faithful ummah, filthy Jewish feet would not only be ascending what to Jews is their holy of holies, but they would, henceforth, pray there as well. The Arab and Muslim world has risen as one to condemn and to threaten.

Contacts with Israel, declared Mahmoud Abbas would be suspended on "all levels". Presumably that includes security. And that would certainly spell problems for President Abbas, for without the aid of the Israeli military his own life would be forfeit, reflecting the lethal animosities between the PA’s Fatah and Gaza’s Hamas. Void of Israel’s protection, the violence-inspiring Abbas would be mortally dispatched by the violently-responding Hamas, taking advantage of the opportunity to act.

In the meanwhile, riots have broken out in Israel, with Palestinians mounting protests where clashes with Israeli troops are satisfying Palestinians’ penchant for ‘resistance’ of the ‘occupation’. In Turkey and in Jordan violent protests are taking place, charging Israel with crimes against Islam. In the streets of Jerusalem and at some West Bank locations, Palestinians throw stones and firecrackers and use burning tires to attack the Israeli security personnel. In response, Israeli troops have fired live rounds of rubber bullets and tear gas.

Any excuse for violence and incitement for more that the Palestinians can grasp in their ongoing war with Israel will do to build popular resentment at a victimhood the Palestinians and the wider circle of Islamist militants graspingly hold dear to describe the brutality levelled at them by genocidal Israelis. Muslim worshippers are informed by their religious authorities to prepare for a “long test of wills” for, according to Mohammed Hussein: “We will not back off.” No, of course they will not.

Turkey’s tyrannical president Recep Tayyip Erdogan is undoubtedly pleased with these events, purporting to talk “reason” to the Israelis to persuade the removal of the metal detectors and the opening of the undefended gates to further mayhem and murder. Israel’s security measures, according to Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, are “radical”. Not so, Turkey’s response to a failed coup attempt last summer that resulted in the arrest and imprisonment of tens of thousands of Turks and Kurds, much less the dismissal of over a hundred-thousand politicians, teachers, judges, military personnel, journalists, police and lawyers on trumped-up charges that they colluded with Turkey’s Gulenist movement to overturn the 'democratic' government.

The viciously violent attacks against Jews continues unabated, and celebrated by Islamists such as Hamas and Turkey, lauded as well by Palestinians supporting the PA’s contention that Israel sits on Palestinian land. A Palestinian man entered a West Bank settlement on Friday, climbing a security fence and entering a home where a family was preparing to celebrate the birth of a child. There he attacked four people having dinner, killing three of them, a grandfather, one of his sons and one of his daughters. 

As is so often done, the killer had posted a boast on Facebook of his intention, claiming to be motivated by Israel’s wrong-doing toward Muslim worshippers at the shrine. An off-duty soldier responded to screaming at the invaded home, rushed to the scene and shot and wounded the 19-year-old attacker who just murdered three innocent people. He has now achieved for himself hero status in the Palestinian world order.