Al-Aqsa, Islamic-Judeo-Christian sacred place
Israeli police crack down on Muslims
Hamas “rallies Muslims”… Concerns about war escalation
On the 10th, when the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan began, Israeli police and Muslims clashed at Al-Aqsa, a joint holy site for Judaism, Islam, and Christianity in East Jerusalem. In particular, the Palestinian armed group Hamas, which is at war with Israel, ordered Muslims to gather at Al-Aqsa, and on this day, the Israeli police also wielded batons in the suppression process, so the possibility that this could lead to large-scale bloodshed cannot be ruled out. There are concerns that this incident may serve as a catalyst for escalation of the Middle East war.
According to the Times of Israel, dozens of Muslims clashed with Israeli police on this day while entering the grounds of the mosque (Al-Aqsa Mosque), one of the three holiest sites in Islam, to pray on the first night of Ramadan.
Videos of police officers wielding batons to suppress Muslims are being posted one after another on local social media. When about 10 police officers swung their batons in an alley, Muslims were seen quickly running away in the opposite direction, and some were seen protesting against the police even while being hit by the batons. Israel claimed, “Only Muslim women over 40 were allowed to worship, but the men violated the control guidelines.”
In addition to this mosque, Al-Aqsa, which is about 140,000 square meters in size, also has a Christian church. East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, was Jordanian territory until the Third Middle East War in 1967. Israel, which took over this place after winning the war, intensified its oppression every time it clashed with the Arab world, causing controversy.
In particular, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gbir, considered the most extreme right-wing figure, visited Al-Aqsa three times last year alone and claimed, “We are the owners.” Some say that his actions were the main reason for Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel in October of the same year. Hamas named the surprise attack ‘Al-Aqsa Flood’.
In a statement on the 9th, Hamas said, “We will confront Israel on all fronts inside and outside of Palestine,” and urged Muslims to gather at Al-Aqsa. In other words, we cannot rule out the possibility that some hard-line Muslims, whose religious beliefs are heightened during Ramadan, will clash with the Israeli military and police again.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said in an interview with Politico, an American political media outlet, on the same day that he would press ahead with a ground war in Rafah, the southernmost part of the Gaza Strip, despite strong opposition from the United States, and claimed, “We will go there (Rafah) and not leave.” The Times of Israel reported on the 9th that there was a possibility that Marwan Issa, a high-ranking Hamas official who was hiding in Nuseirat, central Gaza, may have been killed in an Israeli military airstrike. Issa is a close associate of Hamas military leader Muhammad Deif, who led a surprise attack on Israel last year.
| Al-Aqsa |
| Arabic term for the Temple Mount in East Jerusalem. Islam, Judaism, and Christianity are all considered sacred, so religious conflicts are frequent. In particular, the mosque here, ‘Al-Aqsa Mosque’, is considered one of the three holiest sites of Islam. |
Cairo =
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.