Netanyahu Triggered Latest Crisis Only To Save His Political Future

By Latheef Farook –MAY 17, 2021

Latheef Farook

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been facing problems on several fronts for sometimes. Cases of bribery, fraud and breach of trust against him and the political divisions causing instability, has been threatening his government. Four Knesset (parliament) elections were held in a span of two years: in April 2019, September 2019, March 2020 and March 2021. However no stable government yet.

Following last March elections Netanyahu was tasked to form a new government. However neither he nor his opponents possess a majority in parliament due to different interests and personal animosities.    

The last election made it clear that the new Israeli kingmaker is none other than Mansour Abbas, the leader of the Islamic party Ra’am. Netanyahu was ready to form a government with him just to sustain his primacy, with the hope that this may help him stay out of prison. Meanwhile an alternative centrist coalition also can’t be formed without the support of Abbas. 

According to reports hardcore rightwing within the Israeli Knesset do understand that such political power in the hands of an Islamic party empowers their bitterest enemies. It is destined to bring many more Israeli Arabs to the polls in the next election and if Arabs in Israel enjoy the same political representation as the Jewish majority, they can easily become the biggest political force in Israel. 

To turn the country’s attention to overcome the situation Netanyahu took up the issue of evicting Palestinians families in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah area from their homes and settle there Jewish settlers who have not even seen this property. Israeli Supreme court ordered the Palestinians to vacate and hand over the property to Jewish settlers.

Tensions were running high as Israeli settlers swarmed in after court ordered the eviction of Palestinian families. Palestinians protesting in solidarity with the residents of Sheikh Jarrah have been targeted by Israeli forces.

When the controversy was underway Netanyahu despatched troops with shoes to storm the Al Aqsa knowing very well that would provoke Muslims with violent response worldwide? The police rushed through all the gates of Al-Aqsa, maybe 1,000 of them, and started firing rubber bullets, lobbed stun grenades, tear gas, sprayed pepper gas and lobbed stun grenades suffocating the worshipper’s.

At least 305 people were injured as Israeli forces fired rubber-coated bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at Palestinians who were on guard to prevent possible raids by extremist Jews.

It is sheer Zionist racist arrogance. Netanyahu knows well that the United and Europe remain fully behind him and Arab tyrants would not lift a finger to defend Aqsa Mosque or Palestinians,

Masjid Al Aqsa, the first direction of Muslims, second oldest masjid after Makkah and the third most important holy place in Islam after Makka and Madina, is located in the city of Al Jerusalem, known to Muslims worldwide as Al Quds (The Holy) or Baitul Muqaddis (The House of Holiness).

The historical significance of Masjid Al-Aqsa lies in the fact that the early Muslims turned towards it in prayer for a period of around seventeen months after the Hijra or migration to Medina in 624 AC.   

Masjid Al Aqsa is the place where Prophet Ibrahim, the patriarch of all the three great monotheistic faiths -Judaism, Christianity and Islam -prayed. It was in this very same Masjid that Allah resurrected and assembled all the prophets and messengers for Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to lead the prayer with them during his divine night journey to the heavens.

Allah chose this Masjid because of its purity, nobility, distinction and highest standing.  The ascension of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), from the rock beneath the Qubbat Al Sakhra Mosque known as Dome of the Rock to heaven remains the loftiest spiritual event in the history of Islam and highlights the importance of Jerusalem for Muslims.

A prominent Israeli orthodox rabbi Melchior has charged that “People around the world don’t understand; commentators think we can ‘win’, but this is about al-Aqsa”, “When Israeli police trample into al-Aqsa with boots and stop one of the holiest prayers, it is one of the gravest transgressions of Islam,” says. “This you don’t do.”

Palestinians fought back with their empty hands.

Dr Hazem Rweidy tried to enter Al-Aqsa as there were a lot of injuries to provide first aid to the injured, but he was prevented from doing so by Israeli troops. “As a doctor, I wanted to help after I heard the distress calls I tried from all the gates, but they didn’t let me in,” Rweidy said.

Staff and volunteers in al-Aqsa washed down the mosque’s courtyards the morning after Laylat al-Qadr, while hundreds of Palestinians rallied under the Dome of the Rock after the dawn Fajr prayer.

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