Yusuf, the Hamas leader in the west bank, had showed up in disguise, dressed as an elderly cleric, only to be arressted at a checkpoint on his way home. He however called on Arabs and Muslims to head to the Mosque to protect it in an apparent “Open Sit-in” that may continue for days.
“Al-Aqsa mosque, Jerusalem and Islamic and Christian holy shrines are facing serious danger.”
Protests from Palestinians raged in all corners of Palestine. 3,000 in Nablus. 1,000 in Hebron. Thousands more in Rafah, Gaza who just burried 3 children who were shot by Israeli soldiers the day before.
The Aqsa has a history of being attacked during the occupation, reports Al-Jazeera:
In 1969, one of the extremists set fire to the Minbar of Salah al-Din.
A few years later, American Jewish extremist Allen Goodman attacked Muslim worshippers in the mosque, killing and injuring scores.
In the late 1970s, a group of Jewish activists tried unsuccessfully to attack and destroy al-Aqsa Mosque and the nearby Dome of the Rock mosque using weapons stolen from Israeli soldiers.
The men told interrogators they had hoped the destruction of the Islamic edifice would trigger violence and bloodshed on such a scale it would induce the appearance of the Jewish messiah, who would bring about salvation for the Jewish people and rule the world from Jerusalem.
A day earlier, 3 teenagers were shot by Israeli troops in Rafah as they chased a football that had strayed to far to the border. The hopistal reported the bodies of 14 and 15 year old boys. Hamas resistance group retaliated by shelling a nearby Jewish settlement damaging only buildings.
Today’s Dose of Irony comes from Ben Kingsley who was in Palestine as part of a so-called “Ghandi Project”, an attempt to persuade Palestinian Youths to employ “non-violent” tactic. The films is being screened for free across Palestine, especially the refugee camps: the “militant stronghold” for most of the resistance groups. DVD copies are also being handed out to Youth Groups across the middle east.
I remember reading once in Michael Moore’s “Stupid White Men” his suggestion about what the Palestinians should do. It’s strange because even the “pro” palestinian westerners think that Palestinians should employ such peaceful tactics such as (what Moore describes as) sitting in the middle of the street near a checkpoint to block traffic, something the Israelies did on Sunday and were quickley removed by Israeli troops. I can’t even begin to imagine the body count should Palestinians decide to do such a thing. Ghandi’s tactics are of no use in such a menacing occupation in my opinion, and all the Palestinians living under such realities already know this. Che Guevara however comes to mind.
Posted In: Palestine