After a slew of deadly terrorist attacks this month and now rioting in Jerusalem, it’s increasingly starting to look like there’s a coordinated effort by Palestinian authorities to spark another Intifada. It’s unsurprising. Every time Abu Mazen needs more funding to prop up his kleptocracy, he triggers new bloodshed and takes his case to the international community. The traditional way to accomplish this is by fanning false rumors about Jewish plans to appropriate Islamic holy sites.
Back in 1929 — before the modern state of Israel was formed or “occupied territories” existed — the father of Palestinian nationalism, Amin al-Husseini, used the Temple Mount site to spread blood libel and whip up violence that resulted in the murder of 133 Jews. In nearby Hebron, an ancient neighborhood was destroyed and 67 Jews were slaughtered by their neighbors. This same strategy has been implemented numerous times since. The pretext for the Second Intifada was a visit by Ariel Sharon to the Temple Mount area. Any openly Jewish presence near Al-Aqsa is considered a “provocation” by Palestinians. And international organizations help fuel their grievances by attempting to erase the religious and historical connection between the city and the Jewish people.
There has never been a shred of evidence to back the claim that Israel wants to eject Muslims from the Temple Mount. Indeed, after taking back the site from Jordan in 1967, Israel handed custodianship to the Hashemites and Waqf Muslim religious trust. To put that act into context, it’s worth remembering that before 1967, Jewish holy sites that were occupied by Arabs were treated as garbage dumps — and not much better today in Arab-controlled areas.
“With our souls, with our blood, we sacrifice for Al-Aqsa,” gullible Palestinian pawns shouted this week as they again threw stones and defended a compound that no one wants to take from them. Jews are forbidden from worshipping at the Temple Mount. They can only pray nearby. But that won’t do either. Nearly every year, stones are launched at those worshipping below, forcing Israeli police to raid the site or temporarily limit access — usually for very brief periods.
The New York Times calls this “confrontations between the Israeli police and Muslims at the Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.” But “confrontation” is merely a euphemism for the needless violence initiated by a side that is unwilling to live peacefully with others. Though all will suffer, the violence — that could spiral out of control — never brings the Palestinians any closer to their own state. It only hardens Israeli resolve.