OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)
The Israeli government’s decision to reduce the number of worshipers in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and restrict Palestinians’ access to it during the upcoming month of Ramadan has sparked a wave of furious anger. This decision is seen as a declaration of war against Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims worldwide. Activists, scholars, and experts have emphasized the urgent need for Arab and Islamic action to halt the violations against the sacred Al-Aqsa Mosque and thwart the efforts of Netanyahu and his extremist government to escalate the situation during the holy month.
In response, Sheikh Kamal Al-Khatib, the Deputy Head of the Islamic Movement in the 1948 occupied territories, affirmed in a statement to the press regarding the decision to prevent Palestinians from Jerusalem and the 1948 territories from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan, saying: “These actions only increase our people’s attachment to Al-Aqsa and open the gates to religious warfare. This only indicates that this leadership is leading the Israelis to the abyss.”
Continuous targeting
Political activist and human rights lawyer Khaled Zabarqa has affirmed that there are ongoing Israeli plans to target the Arab Palestinian presence, whether in occupied Jerusalem or throughout Palestine. He emphasized that the targeting relates to the people, symbols, religious character, and national identity of this group called Arabs or Palestinians.
Zabarqa, in media remarks, stated that the Israeli plans target the holy sites, particularly the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. These plans have been published for several years and have been openly and explicitly discussed.
He pointed out that the new thing in this matter is the exploitation of the ongoing events in Gaza in order to push the plans at these levels, whether in terms of the holy sites and changing the identity of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque by force, police, and the military constantly present in the mosque, or the plans related to people, land, and geography, which were previously implemented but at a slower pace.
Zabarqa emphasized that Israel wants to implement these plans but at a faster pace.
The human rights activist highlighted the escalating violations against Palestinians in the occupied territories, expalining that human rights organizations have documented hundreds of arrests that have taken place since October 7th of activists, influential young men and women, and prominent figures from the Arab community, due to any simple protest against the aggression on Gaza.
He also pointed out that young men and women have been fired from their jobs or expelled from their universities and colleges due to the natural solidarity that occurred with the Gaza Strip, especially considering the humanitarian situation.
Strict military rule
Zabarqa said, “There is now a military rule being implemented in the Palestinian territories and in the city of Jerusalem, which is not officially declared, but it is military in every sense of the word.”
He pointed out that the city of Jerusalem, especially the Old City, has become a military barracks, and there have been attempts to empty the city of Arabs and Palestinians, as well as emptying the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque of worshipers and those present in it.
He continued saying, “The restrictions and limitations imposed on Muslims entering the prayers in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque are evident in the small number of people who can enter after surpassing all the barriers set before entering the gates of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. These are very few numbers and do not represent any real figures for those coming to the Mosque.”
A dangerous indicator
Zabarqa emphasized that the current debate in the Israeli government regarding imposing restrictions on Muslims entering Al-Aqsa Mosque during the blessed month of Ramadan is a very dangerous indicator that should concern everyone, especially since we are talking about a great month, a blessed month with its religious and national symbolism in the conscience of every Muslim, Arab, and Palestinian.
He warned that Israel seeks to change the situation at Al-Aqsa Mosque under the pretext of the security events taking place in Gaza.
The Arab Islamic silence emboldened Israel
Zabarqa expressed his regret that the state of silence prevailing in the Arab and Islamic world and the official support for the policies of the extremist Israeli government have emboldened Netanyahu and his extremist government to embark on such policies and attempt to implement them on the ground.
However, he expressed optimism at the same time about the failure of the plans of the Israeli government, saying: “As the experiences have taught us in such events, these policies will fail because apartheid, racial segregation, and extremist policies have not succeeded anywhere in the world and will not succeed here in Jerusalem.”
Declaration of war on Palestinians
The High Follow-up Committee for the Arab Masses stated that the Israeli government’s decision to reduce the number of worshippers from the territories of 1948 and the West Bank in Al-Aqsa Mosque during the blessed month of Ramadan is an Israeli declaration of war on Palestinians in the 1948 territories.
The statement added, “The Follow-up Committee for the Arab Masses warned of the intention of the government of war to accept the requests of the settler minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, to impose restrictions on the entry of Muslims from the 1948 occupied Palestine and Palestinians from Jerusalem into Al-Aqsa Mosque during the blessed month of Ramadan, after imposing strict restrictions on Palestinians from the West Bank and banning Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, naturally, under the ongoing genocide against our people.”
The statement continued, “The holy month of Ramadan is a month of worship and piety, but the racist mentality dominating the Israeli government has turned it into a month of provocations, threats, oppression, and deprivation of the freedom of worship for the people of the homeland, the holy sites, the Qibla, and the third holiest sanctuary.”
It added, “The conditions demanded by Ben Gvir, and agreed upon by his prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, according to what is published in the media, are a comprehensive declaration of war against us and a prelude to emptying the holy sanctuary in Jerusalem to allow for the control of settlers over Al-Aqsa Mosque, paving the way for its demolition, as sought by settlers and extremists in general over the years.”
The statement concluded, “Al-Aqsa Mosque in its entirety is a sacred place for Muslims alone, and no one else has the right to enter it or manage its affairs. We will not compromise on the freedom to enter Al-Aqsa Mosque in this blessed month and at every day and hour.”
Mohammed Baraka, the head of the Follow-up Committee, said, “This decision will never pass. Attempts to empty Al-Aqsa will fail, and with it, the plans of these individuals will fail.”
Baraka called on the international community, Arab and Islamic countries to work towards stopping this dangerous escalation alongside the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Army and Shin Bet warn of restricting Palestinians’ entry to Al-Aqsa
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation reported that the army and the Shin Bet internal security agency warned of the escalation in the area due to restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshippers into Al-Aqsa Mosque during the month of Ramadan.
Channel 13 of Israel mentioned that Netanyahu agreed to the proposal of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir to restrict the entry of Palestinians from 1948 occupied Palestine to Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan.
