Days of anger

Israel has relented after a major standoff over new security measures at the Al Aqsa mosque in Occupied East Jerusalem. Israel has demonstrated that its aggression knows no limit. The historical mosque of Al Aqsa in Occupied East Jerusalem became the latest site where the occupiers asserted their illegitimate power last week. Protests outside the Al Aqsa mosque started when Israel decided to introduce new security measures at the compound. At least seven Palestinians were killed and hundreds injured as clashes at the mosque turned violent. Israel’s decision to ban Muslim men under 50 years of age and install metal detectors on one of the holiest sites in Islam shows its will to demonstrate its force as an occupier. The compound remained shut for days. The new measures were announced a week after a deadly shootout near the mosque which killed five. Some may choose to criticise the violence, but the reality is that the occupied Palestinian people are left with little hope. Despite UN resolutions and a more vocal tide of anti-Israel opinion in international circles, Israel has relied on the traditional support of the US to assert a more aggressive posture.

It is clear that Israel does not ascribe to the two-state solution and the return of Palestine to the 1967 borders. Overtly, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that the status quo would be maintained which gives Muslims exclusive rights to use the mosque, but the clashes at Al-Aqsa got more severe as more lives were lost. However, there was little to be seen by way of international condemnation. It is believed that the Israeli military was against the initial measures at the mosque, which contributed to the decision to relent so quickly. The last time the mosque was closed for prayers was in 1969, which symbolically shows that Israel is returning to its posture in the 1960s where it occupied new Palestinian territory. The real problems in Palestine are deeper than access to the Al Aqsa mosque. This is a clear attempt to provoke renewed Palestinian anger, which in turn is used by Israel to justify its use of military force. There is no doubt that Israel is confident that no one will take serious action against its aggression. The Days of Anger that have been announced must not stop after the Al Aqsa mosque has been reopened. More importantly, it is time for the international community to act. The people of Palestine have been oppressed every day for the last half a century. This brutal occupation must end.