Jerusalem: New conflict blazes at holy site
Israel was already awash in a wave of “calamity and terrorism” when clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israeli police at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa Mosque, said Ephraim Ganor in Ma’ariv (Israel). The site is venerated by both Muslims and Jews, but because of its religious sensitivity, non-Muslims are barred from there in the closing days of Ramadan. But last week, during the rare confluence of Ramadan and Passover, Israeli police rushed the site and arrested hundreds of Palestinians who threw rocks at police before barricading themselves inside the mosque. Hamas has exploited the fears of Palestinians who believe Israel wants to undo Muslims’ traditional rights to the site. Meanwhile, far-right Israeli politicians have backed Jewish extremists wishing to perform Passover sacrifices on the site in a blatant provocation. In recent weeks, rockets have been fired from Gaza, while Palestinian and Israeli Arab terrorists have targeted civilians in retaliation for a summit between Israel and Arab leaders. The images of Israeli police beating and arresting young Palestinians made headlines, but Israelis saw how it started with “stone throwing and the raging of those worshippers.” A misstep by either Israelis or Palestinians could easily turn into “another out-of-control intifada.”
Israel must “crush the lie” that it wants to drive Muslim worshippers from Al-Aqsa, said Yoav Limor in Israel Hayom. Jordan, our neighbor and a barrier against Iran, has expressed concern about our policing of the Temple Mount. Let’s put out this fire
“with a sprinkler, not a barrel of oil” by ensuring the holy site’s rules will not change—provided Muslim worshippers remain peaceful. The rioters we saw last week have disturbed
“the freedom of prayer of everyone, including Muslims,” said The Jerusalem Post in an editorial. They forced police to storm the mosque not to “conquer” it but to arrest stone-throwing criminals. Israel is “intent on protecting freedom of worship” for Muslims. If anyone’s freedom is being limited, it’s that of Jews, whose buses were pelted with rocks as they traveled to pray at the Western Wall. Anyone who truly cares about religious freedom “should condemn the Arab rioters, not the police.”
Palestinians do not buy that for a second, said Ibrahim Shaaban in Al-Quds (Jerusalem). Raiding the mosque was a “test balloon” to “measure the popular Palestinian reaction” in anticipation of an even greater suppression of our right to worship. Our demands all along have been “simple”: Keep Israeli police out of Al-Aqsa. When Israel “calls for calm” after beating Muslim worshippers with tear gas, batons, and rubber bullets, what are we supposed to think? Palestinians should not believe the wild online rumors that Al-Aqsa will “become a synagogue,” said Nir Hasson in Ha’aretz (Israel). No Israeli government has ever tried to expel Muslim worshippers. But Palestinians still have the right to resist as “Israel denies them basic democratic rights, demolishes their homes, and restricts their movement.”