Israeli court’s ruling allowed Jewish prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque or what they call it Temple of Solomon. The ruling issued by The Jerusalem Magistrate Court, a low-ranking court, would effectively terminate the so-called “status quo” policy followed by Israel ever since the Jewish state sized the town from Jordan in June 1967.
Then, it was agreed between Jordan and Israel that only Muslims would worship at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. SO that Jews would pray at the adjacent Ha’et al Buraq, which Jews call “the Wailing Wall,”
The Israeli government reacted to the ruling by saying it would continue to bar Jews from holding their prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque esplanade.
Additionally, Jewish settlers and like-minded supporters voiced deep satisfaction at the court ruling. Ben Gvir, an extreme right-wing member of the Knesset, who supports the seizure and demolition of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Mosquedescribed the ruling as “a very good news”. Also, He warned the Israeli government against failing to implement the ruling since this would be incompatible with democracy.
Right-wing judges are in virtual control of the Israeli justice system and often issue court rulings that are inflammatory and provocative to Palestinians. Consequently, The government said it would appeal the ruling.
Redemption and redeemer
As to Al-Aqsa Mosque, religious Zionism believes that, ultimately, or when time allows, the Temple of Solomon must be rebuilt at the Al-Aqsa Mosque esplanade, which necessitates the destruction of the Mosque and the majestic Dome of the Rock nearby.
The rebuilding of the Temple of Solomon according to their mythology, is sine-qua-non since it would signal and expedite the appearance of the Jewish Messiah (Jews reject Jesus with utter contempt). The Messiah or redeemer would usher in the age of redemption for Jews and would rule the entire world from his seat in Jerusalem.
The religious-nationalist movement, the ideological mother of Bennet’s Yamina party, adopts a decidedly racist ideology towards non-Jews in general. According to their ideological platform, Goyem (derogatory for non-Jews) living in the land of Israel must be treated in one of three ways, depending on the intensity of the situation. In peace time, Goyem must be treated as “water carriers and wood hewers,” using the Biblical term. In other words, they must be enslaved by the people of the land. In time of conflict, however, they should be either expelled and banished from the land or annihilated mercilessly and indiscriminately.
The treatment of non-Jews living under Jewish rule is detailed rather elaborately in Shulhan Aruch by Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (רבי משה בן מימון), better known as “Rambam.”‘
In the Meanwhile, Jordanian and Palestinian officials have voiced their deep anger over allowing Jewish prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, warning that it might trigger a religious war in the region and beyond.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi urged Israel not to let a few extremists play with fire, adding that “Israel alone would bear the consequences of this dangerous crisis.” Jordan has religious jurisdiction over Islamic and Christian holy places in East Jerusalem.
Sheikh Ikrma Sabri, a former Imam of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, described allowing Jewish prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque as “a declaration of war on Islam and the Muslim Umma.” Earlier, Ismael Haniya, Leader of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, warned the Israeli government against “testing the patience of the Palestinian people.”
Haniya hinted that Hamas wouldn’t sit idle while the Al-Aqsa Mosque is desecrated and violated. Similar statements have been issued by other Palestinian groups.
A Palestinian Authority (PA) official accused Israel of seeking to spark off a tumultuous, internecine, religious war that would burn everything.
What next?
It is widely believed that altering the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque would be a serious game-changer since Muslims and Palestinians, in particular, would view it as an unprecedented flagrant provocation. More to the point, it is also expected that Israeli refusal to annul the ruling would trigger a violent and bloody Palestinian intifada or uprising.
The Naftali Bennet government is already facing a precarious crisis and could fall down at any moment after losing its majority in the Knesset.
Moreover, Mansour Abbas, head of the United Arab List, upon which the government depends for its very survival, is already coming under heavy pressure from Israel’s Arab voters to withdraw from Naftali’s coalition.
Observers opine pressure on Abbas from his electoral base would significantly grow in case the court ruling is upheld and implemented. Moreover, Arab regimes that have relations with Israel, such as Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, UAE and Bahrain would also come under public pressure, which might force some of them to sever ties with the Zionist regime.
Gargantuan catastrophe
The recurrent acts of provocation and desecration of Islam’s First Qibla (direction of prayers/ Al-Aqsa Mosque), let alone its contemplated demolition, would spark off a huge conflagration around the world, and lead to an unprecedented worldwide crisis with gargantuan proportions.
It is true, that Israel and international Zionism have succeeded in installing puppets and agents in most Arab capitals. Needless to say, the main function of these shameless traitors is to torment the masses on Israel’s and America’s behalf.
However, Al-Aqsa Mosque has a paramount and central status in the hearts of Muslims. No government, regime, or police state, would be able to rein in the angry masses.
Hence, the world should act before it is too late. Israel today is ruled by irresponsible religious fanatics. And by definition, fanatics don’t have ideas of their own. They only have obsessions by which they are possessed
