By Syed Ilyas Basha
Israel took control of the old city of Jerusalem, which includes Al-Aqsa and the adjacent Western Wall during the 1967 Middle Eastern war. It was a pre-emptive strike by US supplied Israeli fighter jets on the three Arab nations’ defense forces carried out on a tip of from Israeli intelligence and not captured by winning the war. It regards the entire city as its eternal and undivided capital, a move not recognized by the international community.
On September 3, 2020, Middle East Monitor reported that for the first time in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict, the United Arab Emirates agreed to establish a change of status for Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque as part of the agreement with Israel. It was agreed to limit the rights of Muslims in Al-Aqsa Mosque to the prayer building at the southern end of the Noble Sanctuary of Al-Aqsa (Al-Haram Al-Sharif), which the Israelis call “the Temple Mount” and covers 144 acres. The fact is Muslims and international resolutions have always regarded the whole sanctuary to be “Al-Aqsa Mosque”. The decision was taken without consultation with the holder of rightful owner of the land Jordan, any Palestinian group, Arab or Islamic authorities and without the involvement of the Arab League or the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The Palestinians, the rightful owners of occupied Palestine too had no knowledge of what was being planned by the UAE.
The Israeli government led by Benjamin Netanyahu of late has been employing an unapologetic rhetoric, invoking biblical references to sell his war to the ultra-right not just in Israel but also in the US. It desperately needs the support of Christian Evangelists, a majority of whom identify with the global Zionist movement for a ‘Jewish homeland’. Their belief comes from the end-of-the-world interpretation of the bible leading to the second coming of Jesus Christ. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been using biblical references in his speeches while he continues his relentless bombing campaign in Gaza. Why is he using such references in his war rhetoric? Under the Donald Trump regime, evangelists took their seats in the power corridors with the likes of Vice President Mike Pence and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. In fact, Donald Trump also mentioned in a rally that the move to shift the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem was ‘for the evangelicals.’ Even the current US President Joe Biden has publicly identified himself as a ‘Zionist’ and at least 100 members of Congress are avowed evangelicals.
While the ‘War on Gaza’ is going on, on Nov 30, 2023, Israeli soldiers quickly converted a Palestinian building into a Jewish synagogue during their ground operation in northern Gaza, reported The Jerusalem Post very happily. The newspaper did not specify the location of the converted building but published photos of the entrance, which features a large sign that reads “Abraham Temple.” Other photos showed the interior with seats and a table with Jewish religious books on it.
Middle East Monitor on January 11, 2024 reported that Israel’s borders will extend ‘from Lebanon to Saudi Arabia, according to Israeli writer and politician Avi Lipkin. A video clip is circulating on social media shows Israeli writer Avi Lipkin predicting that Israel’s borders will extend “from Lebanon to Saudi Arabia soon.” He described that as the “Great Desert,” and spreads “from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates.” The clip setting out the territory envisaged by Zionists for “Greater Israel” has sparked widespread anger. “And who’s on the other side of the Euphrates?” asked Lipkin. “The Kurds, and the Kurds are friends. So, we have the Mediterranean behind us and the Kurds in front of us… Lebanon, which really needs the umbrella of protection of Israel, and then we’re going to take, I believe we’re going to take Makkah, Madinah and Mount Sinai, and purify [sic] those places.”
AND FINALLY THIS SHAMEFUL ACT!
Israel’s Minister of Culture and Sport Ms. Miri Regev’s made an official visit to the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi with UAE Minister. This is the same Miri Regev who described the Muslims call to prayer, Adhan, as the sound of the “crying dogs of Muhammad”.(Middle East Monitor/ 30 October 2018)
