It is apparent that the far-right Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has gone mad in its hatred and animosity towards Muslims. The trampling of the sanctity of Al-Aqsa mosque by the Israeli forces, which used stun grenades to attack the Palestinian worshippers, is intolerable not only for the Palestinians but the entire Muslim Ummah as it is their first Qibla, which is one of their most revered and holiest places and they can not sit silently on such despicable and profane acts.
Since the act hurt the sentiments of the whole Muslim Ummah, several Muslim leaders in their statements condemned it with Turkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, truly representing our emotions and feelings by calling the storming of the mosque as a ‘Red Line’.
The Arab League also came up with a strong statement rejecting all forms of Israeli violations of Islamic and Christian holy places, especially those aimed at changing the historical and legal status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
We believe that reaction should not confine only to condemnation as such statements only fall on deaf ears of the Zionists who have always openly encouraged violence and aggression against Palestinians and our sanctities. The latest Israeli assault for sure will only further escalate tension in the region and make the lives of Palestinians more miserable.
Soon after the incident, clashes were reported in several other occupied Palestinian areas, which resulted in the injuries of scores of innocent and unarmed Palestinians. In fact, it is not the first time that the Israeli forces have desecrated Al-Aqsa Mosque but also during the last Ramadan, one had seen such a horrific incident which unambiguously implies that for the Zionists, it has become indigestible to see Muslims practising their religion.
Just earlier this year, Israel’s National Security Minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque. Far right Jewish politicians such as Ben Gvir have time and again clearly shown the intent to challenge the 19th-century arrangement which regulates the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
Al-Haram al-Sharif, where Al-Aqsa Mosque is located, is part of the Islamic waqf (endowment) administered by the Hashemite monarchy in Jordan. Thus, by the power of the status quo arrangement, it is the Jordanian King and the Jordanian-appointed Jerusalem Waqf Council who should decide what happens within its boundaries.
By storming al-Haram al-Sharif at his whim, far-right Jewish politicians are trying to change that status quo and establish Israeli control over the Islamic holy site. In fact, they want to build a synagogue there- something which will not be acceptable to the Muslims.
The so-called champions of human rights have a responsibility to act and speak up for the fundamental religious rights of Palestinians and Muslims. Though the Muslims respect the religious places of other religions but if such an act of storming the religious place of the followers of some other religion had been committed by some Muslims, heaven would have fallen by now, and they or their country would have been slapped with all sorts of sanctions.
If the Jewish state is not stopped from its persecution campaign and trampling the religious rights of Palestinians, the situation will become more precarious. Over 170 Palestinians, including at least 30 children, were killed across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem last year. In January 2023 alone, at least 29 Palestinians, including five children, were killed.
The UN said that 2022 was the deadliest year for Palestinians since 2006, but 2023 is already on course to surpass that if the number of deaths stays at the same level. The situation will remain explosive until and unless important capitals, especially Washington, use their influence for a two-state solution which is the only panacea for sustainable peace and stability in the Middle East.
For this, Washington will have to play the role of an honest mediator between Israelis and Palestinians. Those committing atrocities against Palestinians must also be tried for war crimes.
