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Israel-Palestine clash over Al-Asqa in Jerusalem
Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment
- The story: Serious violence broke out between Israeli police and Palestinians, at the Al-Aqsa mosque site in May. On 08th of May, an estimated 90,000 people gathered for nighttime Laylat al-Qadr prayers at Al-Aqsa, the third-holiest site in Islam. The Laylat al-Qadr or the “Night of Destiny”, prayers are considered the most sacred.
- Events:
- There had been a “repeated cycle of clashes and calm” in the area between Palestinian protesters throwing plastic bottles and Israeli security forces deploying stun grenades and foul-smelling skunk water.
- An Arab Israeli NGO called on senior Israeli officials to order security forces to halt their “violent incursions” into the Al-Aqsa Mosque and refrain from using excessive force against Palestinian worshippers and medical personnel.
- Tensions mounted in the city, the occupied West Bank and Gaza throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, amid growing anger about the potential eviction of Palestinians from East Jerusalem homes on land claimed by Jewish settlers.
- On 10th of May (Jerusalem Day), Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in East Jerusalem, leaving hundreds injured. It marked the fourth day of clashes at one of the most revered and the most contested sites of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. That led to a reaction from Hamas, that fired rockets into Israel.
- Israeli Air Force attacked the region after Hamas fired several rockets at Israel, following the expiration of the group’s ultimatum demanding Israel stand down forces from the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem. Israel’s army said it had hit 130 “military targets” in Gaza, killing 15 “Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives” in retaliatory strikes after Palestinian groups launched a flurry of rockets towards Israel.
- US lawmaker Ilhan Omar said that "Israeli air strikes killing civilians in Gaza is an act of terrorism. Palestinians deserve protection. Unlike Israel, missile defense programs, such as Iron Dome, don’t exist to protect Palestinian civilians.:
- The four members of the Middle East Quartet – the US, Russia, the EU and the UN – expressed “deep concern” over the violence in Jerusalem. The Envoys noted with concern the possible evictions of Palestinian families from homes they have lived in for generations, and opposed the unilateral actions, which will only escalate the already tense environment. They called upon Israeli authorities to exercise restraint and to avoid measures that would further escalate the situation during this period of Muslim Holy Days.
- Various aspects:
- Six Day War - The 1967 Arab–Israeli War (or Third Arab–Israeli War) was fought between 5 and 10 June 1967 between Israel and Jordan, Syria, and Egypt. Relations between Israel and its neighbours were not normalised after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. In 1956 Israel invaded the Sinai peninsula in Egypt, to reopen the Straits of Tiran that Egypt had blocked to Israeli shipping since 1950. Israel was eventually forced to withdraw, but was guaranteed that the Straits of Tiran would remain open. A United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) was deployed along the border, but there was no demilitarisation agreement.
- Al-Aqsa - The Al-Aqsa Mosque is located in the Old City of Jerusalem, and is the third holiest site in Islam. It was built on top of the Temple Mount, known as the Al Aqsa Compound or Haram esh-Sharif in Islam. Muslims believe that Muhammad was transported from the Great Mosque of Mecca to al-Aqsa during the Night Journey. Islamic tradition holds that Muhammad led prayers towards this site until the 16th or 17th month after his migration from Mecca to Medina, when Allah directed him to turn towards the Kaaba in Mecca. Since 1967, the Jordanian Islamic Waqf has been in charge of the holy site, while Israel oversees external security. Non-Muslims are only allowed to visit the compound during specified hours and are not allowed to pray there.
- Al-Haram al-Sharif - The Temple Mount or Haram al-Sharif is the most contentious religious site in Jerusalem. It is revered by Jews at the location of two biblical temples and is the holiest site in Judaism. The compound houses the Dome of the Rock, and the al-Aqsa mosque, the third holiest shrine in Islam.
- Jerusalem - It is a city in Western Asia, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the oldest cities, considered holy to the three major Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Al-Aqsa is central to the rival claims over Jerusalem. Both Israel and Palestine have declared it their capital. In July 1980, the Israeli Parliament passed the Jerusalem Law declaring it the country’s capital. Palestinians declared Jerusalem the capital of the putative state of Palestine by a law passed by the Palestinian Authority in 2000.
- History of the region - In 1947, the United Nations drew up a plan to divide Palestine between Jews and Palestinians, leading to the creation of Israel. Since then, the Al-Aqsa compound has been under UN administration. Palestinians decry the increasing Israeli encroachment over the site, which intensified after the 1967 war, which resulted in an Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, where the Old City and the Mosque are located. While non-Muslims have not been allowed to worship at Al-Aqsa, Jewish individuals and groups have made repeated attempts to gain entry to the Mount Temple plaza.
- World reactions: The UAE had recently recognised Israel as a state and sealed a historic peace agreement to normalise relations with it, but has now “strongly condemned” the clashes and the planned evictions in Jerusalem. It has asked Israel to protect the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa. Saudi Arabia, which has given its tacit blessings to the “Abraham Accords” by not opposing Israel’s recognition by UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan, has said it “rejects Israel’s plans and measures to evict dozens of Palestinians from their homes in Jerusalem”. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said he condemns Israel for “violating all norms of humanity and international law". Israel, meanwhile, remained firm and said it was only maintaining law and order.
- The Trump angle: As President, Trump stoked the fire by giving a new plan - the eighth-century site, regarded by Muslims as the third holiest site in Islam and important for all three Abrahamic faiths, would be under Israeli control. Thousands of Palestinians had gathered urgently at the holy site to show that the city, where the al-Haram al-Sharif or the Noble Sanctuary is located, would remain the “undivided capital” of Israel. They said that the deal was humiliating and unacceptable, and Trump wanted to deny access to Al-Aqsa. “Even if it requires sacrificing all our blood, Palestine’s capital will always be Jerusalem,” said the protestors in 2020.
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