Summary:
This Tuesday, tussles broke out due to an alleged "fire bomb" that was thrown at the Israeli police post inside the Al-Aqsa holy compound. Palestinian sources inside the compound were saying that this "firebomb" may have instead been a firework. After this fire bomb or firework went off, there was was scuffle between the Palestinian worshippers and Israeli security forces.
The Israeli government has closed the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex due to a confrontation with Palestinian worshippers at the Mosque. According to Firas al-Dibs, spokesperson for Jerusalem's Religious Endowments Authority, a Jordan-run agency tasked with overseeing the city's Muslim and Christian sites, the director of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Omar Kiswani and the acting supreme judge of Jerusalem's Islamic Courts, Sheikh Wasef al-Bakri, were also assaulted by the Israeli police.
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| Children stand outside the Al-Aqsa Mosque barrier as Israeli policemen block an entrance to the compound. |
Al-Dibs stated that "baton-wielding police attacked dozens of Muslim worshippers near the Al-Aqsa compound, Dome of the Rock ... At least five Palestinians were arrested before being taken into custody for further investigation".
Israeli NGO Ir Amim announced that at least 10 Palestinians were injured during these "clashes", and consequently led to all worshippers being forced out of the site. In a statement Ir Amim wrote that "police used excessive force in responding, violently throwing one woman down to the ground and aggressively pushing others". The NGO has warned that using excessive force will exacerbate tensions at the site.
This brash assertion by the Israeli police over the compound, communicates a clear message of Israeli control. The Palestinian presidency has condemned the escalation at the site, but the Israeli authorities have not commented yet.
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| Troops outside of Al-Aqsa Mosque. |
Reaction:
I think it is unfair that the Palestinians are being forced out of their Mosque and are not allowed to visit the compound because of an alleged "firebomb", that may not have even been a bomb. The Muslims did not have any reason to be assaulted or attacked, or even forced into custody. If the alleged firebomb was intended to hurt the Israeli soldiers, it should not make the rest of the Muslims become oppressed from their religious duties. Israeli police and settlers should not violate the sanctity of the Mosque and provoke the sentiments of Muslims.
Connection:
This event is connected to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict because it is directly a part of it. This is a prime example of the Israelis and the Palestinians fighting and not agreeing, heightening the tensions of the conflict and resulting in the delay of peace between both nations. Historically the conflict was due to religious differences between the Arabs and Jews and this instance is directly tied to that. The ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians is due to the Israelis believing that they are entitled to the land now known as Israel, while the Palestinians believe that they are entitled to the land they call Palestine. Unfortunately, both sides claim the same land. The Israeli’s and Palestinians have been fighting for over 60 years, and each war, each death, each act of terrorism, only deepens the hatred and the reluctance to give in to the other side.
Discussion Questions:
1. Do you feel all worshippers should be banned from the Al-Aqsa compund?
2. Do you believe the Israelis have the right to take control and close the compound?
3. What actions do you think the international communities should take to help alleviate these tensions?
I don't believe that all worshippers should be banned from the Al-Aqsa compound. One small group of people shouldn't be the face of such a large group. Since most Israelis don't worship at the mosque I don't think they should have the ability to take control or close the compound. On the other hand since there might be Israeli settlements nearby and potential attacks can put them in danger, I get why they might want to close the area. The alleged bomb was also thrown inside an israeli police post which is direct attack to them. In general international communities can't help a lot, but they could take precautions within their own countries to prevent such attacks setting a positive example.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that worshippers should be banned from the Al-Aqsa compound because it is an important site of worship and that should be protected. Moreover, I don't think that the Israeli police should be utilizing such blunt force in order to get what they need. Considering they are already armed and the worshippers are peaceful, simple commands should be respected and followed. Implementing violence only demonstrates police brutality and leads to further discrepancies and conflicts. From a legal stand point, Israelis have the right to take control and close the compound because Jerusalem is currently under Israeli occupation. However, from a moral stand point, I think they should respect the Islam religion and keep the compound open. If the tables were turned the Jerusalem was under Palestinian occupation, Jewish people would be outraged if their churches were suddenly closed by Palestinian forces without good reason. In other words, I believe the Israeli's decision to raid the worship site was unjust and unnecessary. Currently, the US gives the Israel about three billion dollars worth of funding annually. However, some law makers argue that over the next decade, that number should increase to thirty eight billion dollars (source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-israel-defense/key-u-s-lawmakers-want-to-boost-israels-38-billion-defense-aid-package-idUSKCN1GB2NQ). In my opinion, I think that the US should not be as involved in this conflict. The government has oversaturated this program with resources that will ultimately result in more violence. This money could be utilized to better our education, health, and housing issues rather than a foreign issue half way across the world. I understand that the US and Israel have a very strong trading relationship with Israel being the 24th largest trader with the US. (source: https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c5081.html) I believe those relationships should stay in place. However, I believe withdrawing some of our investments in the issue in the Middle East will place pressure on the Israeli government to initiate change and talks for peace.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of your points, especially the point about Israel having the right to take control of the compound as it is under Israeli occupation. I hadn't really thought of that point and I completely agree with it. I also think that the US should not be as involved; in order for the conflict to become resolved, other countries need to withdraw from giving aid as there are already multiple view points causing the issue. US has helped to create relationships between Israel and Palestine by facilitating the Camp David Accords that led to a handshake between the Palestinian and Israeli leaders, which is a good outcome, yet they should still be on the sideline. (http://theconversation.com/us-can-no-longer-be-counted-on-to-end-israel-palestinian-conflict-96716)
DeleteI don't believe that the worshippers should be prevented from visiting the Al-Aqsa mosque. The devout religious followers are unlikely to cause many problems, and the main cause of the problem seems to be a firework set off by children nearby. However, the Israeli police believed that the problem was caused by a Molotov cocktail. This event shows a small scale event of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, because a small and relatively harmless event was blown out of proportion and led to a small fight as well as the arrest of at least 2 Palestinian citizens. A very similar event occurred from 1948-1967 when Jordan annexed the city and did not allow Jews to worship at the western wall.In 1967, the Jewish army invaded and annexed Jerusalem, giving them control in the area which is their justification for denying the Palestinians the right to pray at the Al-Aqsa mosque. Even though the Israelis control the area, they should not have the ability to prevent the Palestinians from praying at their third holiest site. If the roles were reversed in this situation, the Jews would also be outraged and would not accept the Palestinian ruling of preventing them from praying at the Western wall. I don't think that the international community can do much to help resolve this situation, although countries could possibly help Israel, Hamas, and the Palestinians reach an agreement so that clashes like this are less common. The decrease in tensions would allow for peace to be possible and allow for the Jews and Arabs to live in relative harmony within Jerusalem and their individual nations.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/history-and-overivew-of-the-western-wall
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/03/israeli-authorities-reopen-al-aqsa-mosque-compound-190313062732665.html
The worshippers should not be banned from the Al-Aqsa mosque. They aren't doing the Israelis any harm. The firebomb or firework or whatever it is should just be investigated. The Israelis should have concrete evidence for whatever got thrown at them and determine how dangerous it is. Even then, they shouldn't have used so much force against the Palestinians. I think the Israelis should leave the Al-Aqsa alone. It's not theirs. They're not even allowed to enter the mosque. I don't exactly know how international communities can help this situation but this conflict has everyone on edge. It's these little incidents that have the biggest consequences in increasing tensions. I don't have any particular ideas on how to help, but it would be great if everyone tried to resolve these smaller issues so that it won't escalate to however worse it can get.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that a single worhsiper- or for that matter, a single Muslim*- should be banned from Al Aqsa. In general, but especially in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, people are losing what religion is. So to most, it's more than likely "A way to explain how it is that humans exist and why it is that they exist." This isn't a completely false statement, and it is quite accurate, but religion goes so far beyond that shallow idea. It is a set of rules that one follows such that they can help shape themselves into the best self that they can be. And that idea is what's missing from the Israeli mind when they choose to blow an insignificant action out of proportion due to a misunderstanding of Islam and an assumption made of supposed "terror," regarding innocent worshipers. One of the first and most important lessons that Islam teaches is that every living being is equal under God. It is not teaching what extremists spread. Extremists are not Muslims; they are not Christians, and neither are they Jews. Extremists are foolish and evil driven people that use religion as a FALSE EXCUSE to allow them to be evil. And extremists are always going to exist and everyone needs to believe that, and the first step in the right direction towards the idea of peace and acceptance is removing any idea of banning people from their place of worship. Besides the minority of Muslim Israelis in the IDF (Source) barely a fraction of those enforcing this can understand the value of Al Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock to a Muslim. These places are life-changing and if I had ever witnessed an atrocity such as this when I visited then I'm not sure how I might possibly have reacted, especially if I were banned from visiting Al Aqsa. Regarding the international community and its members, I do not think that any other countries that are well beyond the scope of this conflict should intervene; however, I do indeed believe that leaders and ambassadors of these nations do need to visit Palestine and observe the terrible things going on firsthand with an unbiased perspective, or at least not being carried around by Netanyahu in absolute privacy. I also loved Kayla's ideas regarding the U.S. pulling out a lot of its investment and intervention in the Middle East and the Israeli state, including all the money that they could back into our people instead of a conflict that has no true relation to Americans.
ReplyDeleteIt is unfair and unjust to ban worshippers from the Mosque. Not only is it disrespectful and excessive, but it has potential to spark further Israeli/ Palestinian tension, furthering both from peace. As we discussed today in the socratic seminar, peace is only truly present when citizens can live together without fear of each other. Continued generalization of Muslims as terrorists, especially in a location of such religious significance, has potential to drastically increase tensions and distrust on either side. It doesn't help that situations such as these tend to end in each side victimizing themselves, further villainizing and isolating the other from peaceful communication and understanding. I believe that as a start, the Israeli government should acknowledge the event, and respectfully as well, to deescalate the situation to an extent.
ReplyDeleteI don't think all worshippers should be banned from Al-Aqsa Mosque. I believe the Israeli police should conduct enough evidence to convict whoever was involved with the firebomb incident instead of punishing the palestinian/muslim community for the actions of few. Under any circumstance should the Israeli police force be allowed to close the mosque this action is very unjust and only builds on the on going tensions going on in Jerusalem. Palestinan President Mahmoud Abbas denounced the event and warned of the consequences of the actions by the police by taking away Muslim freedom (https://imemc.org/article/israeli-police-assault-muslim-worshipers-close-al-aqsa-mosque/). The international community should help both sides out and get both sides of the story and see what really happened that caused the police to do this. However I believe that in any case the Mosque should be reopened to give back Muslims their freedom to pray.
ReplyDelete- Ethan Cleary
DeleteI think all the worshippers should not be punished for the wrong doings of only a few people. As resigning to unjust matters can only create further tension to the overall Israeli/Palestinian conflict. However, I do believe that after this incident, Israeli soldiers should learn take more of a positive precaution in making this environment safe for its community. For instance, rather than closing down the entire compound completely, and forcefully removing worshippers; they could conduct an investigation and keep the area under further surveillance.
ReplyDelete