If there was ever any doubt that Israel’s security and police forces act as a law onto themselves, then look no further than the recent incidents at Al Haram Al Sharif in occupied Jerusalem. Indeed, there can be doubt either that these instruments of Israeli state oppression have no notion of even-handedness nor justice.
For the past month, hundreds of Israeli ultra-orthodox colonists inspired by Uri Ariel — the Minister of Agriculture in the right-wing government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — have been conspiring to take over the third holiest site in Islam, and have advocated banning all Muslims from Al Haram Al Sharif. Palestinians have been forced to take action, remaining in Al Haram Al Sharif to prevent it from falling into the ultra-orthodox group’s hands. While violence has flared, the actions of Israeli security forces show they are only interested in subverting Muslims’ rightful claim to Al Haram Al Sharif. Palestinian youth are arrested, colonists protected; Muslim worshippers are tear gassed, Jewish activists are shepherded by gun-toting riot police.
Even more shameful, colonists wilfully disrespect the holy site, purposefully acting in a provocative manner to incite hatred and bigotry. The events there over the past days have prompted the Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Eyad Ameen Madani, to strongly condemn the incursion and desecration of the Al Aqsa Mosque by the extremist colonists under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces. Indeed, if this chapter has shown anything, it is that Israel has scant regard for international agreements, and acts only in the interests of its illegal colonists. The site itself was seized — along with all of East Jerusalem in 1967 — and remains illegally occupied and under Israeli rule. What’s more, under international agreement, the site is administered by Jordan — but the actions of the Jewish extremists under police protection pay scant regard to those protocols. Whatever Israeli police and colonists believe, there simply cannot be a let up in protecting Al Haram Al Sharif and preserving its access for Muslims.
