Israel and Palestine: partner perspectives

Dome of the Rock on the Haram al-Sharif in the Old City of Jerusalem.

As violence continues to escalate in Israel and Palestine, with Gaza under heavy bombardment and Hamas rockets landing in Israel, two of our partners have shared personal reflections with us: Joseph Hazboun, regional director of Pontifical Mission for Palestine and a resident of East Jerusalem, and Dov Bikas, a resident in southern Israel and founder of Aviv Ministry in Tel Aviv.

JOSEPH HAZBOUN

Putting things into Perspective

I had decided not to share an update at this time, knowing that what is happening in Jerusalem is receiving maximum media, social media, and reporting coverage. What would be my contribution?  It seems that there are multiple confrontation sites and the events are unfolding rapidly, which requires shedding some light on what is happening on the ground. I felt the need to put things into perspective from some sort of an internal unbiased party. This of course is an overstatement, since I am Palestinian who was raised under occupation and therefore, cannot be totally unbiased.

Time to reap some fruits - or not

To better understand what is happening on the ground today, we need to consider several recent developments that are directly connected with the Israeli plans to achieve a demographic Jewish majority in East Jerusalem and take control of the Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound (the Temple Mount). These plans are not new, they were set in motion following the Oslo Accords in 1993.

Israel has increased settlement construction and purchased Palestinian property to achieve a Jewish majority in East Jerusalem. Israel also made it extremely difficult and challenging for Palestinians to obtain building permits, followed by home demolitions and finally, forced eviction of Palestinian families.

As for the Al-Aqsa compound, there have been several sporadic restrictions such as increased harassment of Muslim worshipers, access restrictions to the Mosque permitting only certain times and dates for entry, and age restrictions. In addition, there have been increased settler group incursions into the compound heavily guarded by police, the closure of the “Al-Marwani Corner” and prohibition of any Muslim prayer at this space, which encouraged and increased Jewish settler activities at Al-Aqsa.

Moreover, several recent developments encouraged Israel to believe that it was time to 'reap some fruits'. These factors included: the construction of the Separation Wall, isolating East Jerusalem from West Bank cities and towns; recognition of Jerusalem (East & West) as the capital of Israel; moving the US Embassy into Jerusalem; having successfully concluded the peace accords with a number of Islamic Arab countries which do not seem to oppose Israel’s plans; the continued incursion of Jewish settler groups into the Al-Aqsa compound under the protection of armed police forces without serious objections by neighboring Arab countries; the harsh economic situation in the territories and East Jerusalem, reaching alarming levels of unemployment and poverty - with Israel holding the notion that the Palestinians are too poor and tried to resist.

Al-Aqsa Mosque

The Haram Al-Sharif compound (or Temple Mount) where the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque is situated is hugely significant. For Muslims, it is believed to be where Muhammad’s Night Journey to heaven started from the rock (hence Dome of the Rock) and for Jews, it was the location of the Temple destroyed by the Romans in the year 70 C.E.

Right-wing Jewish extremists’ goal is to retake the site and eventually rebuild the Temple. Fears around this happening grew when Israeli police prevented worshipping Muslims from using a space within Al-Aqsa Mosque called “the Marwani Corner” or “Al-Musalla Al-Marwani”; as this may be the first stronghold for a future Israeli-Jewish synagogue.

Muslim worshippers, including women and children, were attacked at Al-Aqsa Mosque during a ritual evening prayer Al-Taraweeh which led to many injuries and raised the already tense situation in Jerusalem.

Police restrictions intensified during the month of Ramadan, and the number of worshippers attending each Friday prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque was significantly less than in previous years. During the recent special Ramadan evening prayers called “Al-Taraweeh”, a fierce attack was launched against Muslim worshippers. Police fired stun grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets inside the mosque injuring over 35 people in the head and 15 in the eyes.

The Contested Neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah

Following the occupation of Palestine in 1948 which created a vast number of Palestinian refugees, UNRWA requested a donation from the Jordanian government - a piece of land in Sheikh Jarrah, to build homes for Palestinian refugee families. The request was granted, and the homes were built. UNRWA also requested property ownership of the new homes from Jordan, which was approved in principle, but official documents were never issued. In 1967 when Israel occupied East Jerusalem, Sheikh Jarrah was considered “government property” and Israel wanted to evacuate the refugees and settle Israeli settlers in the neighborhood, like the fate of other Palestinian towns and villages in 1948. Logically, one may argue that what Israel is trying to do may seem logical: it is government property and thus a government decision. However, when considering international law and the rules applied to those under occupation, East Jerusalem remains occupied territory, and hence any decision made by the occupying force - Israel – that threatens the rights of the occupied is in fact, illegal. Therefore, it is still illegal for Israel to confiscate these homes and forcibly displace the families living there.

The recent decision by Israel's Court allowing the forced eviction of the Palestinian families living in Sheikh Jarrah, lead to renewed protests. With tensions flaring from Ramadan access restrictions and the threat of the annual Jerusalem Day March by right-wing Israeli supporters in East Jerusalem, skirmishes between protestors and settlers began to occur. Following the escalation at Damascus Gate and “Lailat Al-Qadar” events which we will tackle next, the Supreme Court decision was to postpone the decision for fear of a more widespread conflict breaking out.

For Palestinian youth, this was seen as another battle “won” after that of Damascus Gate.

Unified Jerusalem Day

During the evening of Lailat Al-Qadar, the Israeli police force invaded the Al-Aqsa Compound in huge numbers, fired tear gas and sound bombs at the worshipers during the Al-Taraweeh special Ramadan prayers, disrupting prayers, injuring hundreds of youth, women, and children. This was an attempt by the Israeli police to empty the Al-Aqsa compound from Muslim worshipers and youth so that the Jerusalem Day March the next day would be able to go through Damascus Gate and into Al-Aqsa Mosque as planned without serious confrontations. Additionally, worshippers who prayed at the compound were bombarded by an intelligence message illegally on their phone which read "You have been identified as someone who has taken part in the violent acts at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. We will hold you accountable" - Israeli Intelligence. That day, the same confrontations took place. By this time, Hamas threatened rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into Israel, if Israeli police presence continued at Al-Aqsa Mosque. An ultimatum was given that this presence must cease by 6 pm Monday evening. The Israeli Police took a decision to alter the course of the annual march from Damascus Gate to Jaffa Gate, canceling any attempt to go into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. At 18:00 on Monday, rockets fell near Jerusalem, terrorizing Israeli neighborhoods and sending the conflict into further escalation.

Pressing on

As Ramadan ends and the Eid is upon us, what is more, important than attempts by the Israeli police to harass Palestinian Muslim worshippers, impose new restrictions on movement and access to holy sites and deny worship altogether, is to unexpectedly unite Palestinian Jerusalemites with their brothers and sisters in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, who stood together, resisted together and created a new front.

Temporarily rebuked, is the long-term Israeli government plan to attempt to Judaize East Jerusalem. Even though the recent Peace Agreements or “Abrahamic Accords” encouraged the Israeli government to move forward with the Judaization plan, it has unexpectedly met the resistance of today's Palestinian youth. Long gone are the Palestinians who used to launch appeals to the International community to intervene and support their cause, as it was largely unsuccessful. This Ramadan points to greater inner strength, which was most unexpected yet welcomed among Palestinians. It was in fact that these brave youth took matters into their own hands and won not one but three separate battles. This is unprecedented and will set the new “rules of engagement” in the coming period.

[1] Laylat al-Qadr, (Arabic: “Night of Power”) Islamic festival that commemorates the night on which God first revealed the Qurʾān to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel.

Listen below to Dov Bikas talking about how it feels to have rockets flying overhead.