West Bank... a new Gaza?
Could it be the start of the end of (what is left of) Palestine?
It looks there is a concerted effort in escalating the situation both in Ukraine and in the Middle East at the same time, maybe to keep Russia, Iran and China in check.
In my previous article I discussed the ongoing Ukrainian operation in Kursk. In this new article I am going to discuss how some people are trying to provoke Iran, while starting a military operation in West Bank, not dissimilar from that being carried out in Gaza.
Let’s start with the latest provocation of Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Israeli Police Minister, who just two days ago (26th August 2024) stated the following during an interview published by the Israeli Army Radio, as reported by Al Mayadeen in this article:
If I could do what I wanted, a synagogue would also be established on the Temple Mount.
Of course, this caused a flurry of reactions, not only across Palestine and in Muslim countries, such as neighbouring Egypt, but also within Israel itself, as reported in this other Al Mayadeen article, with Interior Minister Moshe Arbel urging Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu to dismiss Ben-Gvir from his role, and even Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warning that Ben-Gvir’s actions “endanger Israel’s national security and its international standing” and stressing that undermining the status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque is “dangerous, unnecessary and reckless”. Also Yair Lapid, the opposition leader, and Benny Gantz, former war cabinet minister and Knesset member, accused Netanyahu of being unable to control his government.
Itamar Ben-Gvir is not new to such provocations. In fact, as reported in another Al Mayadeen article, on 6th June 2024, during a speech at the “Flag March”, alongside at least 1,600 Israeli settlers and violating the longstanding arrangement regarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque1, Ben-Gvir stated:
Temple Mount is ours, Damascus Gate is ours, let the whole world know that.
Today, according to my policy, Jews entered the Old City freely. And on the Temple Mount Jews prayed freely. We say in the simplest way, it’s ours.
It is very important. My policy is very clear on this matter: Jews can be anywhere in Jerusalem, pray anywhere.
In both occasions Netanyahu reacted by saying that the status quo of Al-Aqsa Mosque remains unchanged, without rebuking his Police Minister. It’s all kabuki theatre, in the end. The problem is that Muslim countries, especially Iran, do not take these threats lightly. I already mentioned Egypt, which released the following statements, following Ben-Gvir’s provocation a couple of days ago:
The Arab Republic of Egypt holds Israel legally responsible for maintaining the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque and for not harming Islamic and Christian holy sites.
Israel is required to comply with its obligations as an occupying power and to cease making provocative statements that could further escalate tensions in the region.
Irresponsible statements regarding Islamic and Christian holy sites in the Palestinian territories increase tensions and hinder efforts to achieve a sustainable ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.
And here is Turkey’s reaction, as reported in this Al Mayadeen article:
The statements made by the Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, regarding the construction of a synagogue in the Al-Aqsa Mosque are a new and extremely dangerous example of Israel's efforts to change the status and identity of Jerusalem and the holy sites in Jerusalem […] The Israeli government's attacks on the Palestinian people threaten regional and global stability more and more every day.
…and Iran’s response (from the same aforementioned Al Mayadeen article):
The cabinet of the criminal Zionist regime is trying to implement its malicious plans regarding al-Aqsa Mosque; to the extent that it shamelessly shouts the evil intention of building a synagogue in al-Aqsa Mosque.
Itamar Ben-Gvir’s plans of building a synagogue inside Al-Aqsa Mosque and financing the storming of the latter are just pure escalatory rhetoric (for now at least!), though stormings of Al-Aqsa mosque have become more frequent. In my humble opinion, Israel is trying to provoke Iran, which for now is just responding with words from the mouths of its diplomats.
The problem is: what happens in Israel after all these harsh reactions from Iran and other Muslim countries?
The Israeli government decides to finance the storming of al-Aqsa Mosque by illegal settlers, paying them millions of shekels, as reported by Al Mayadeen yesterday, citing Israeli public broadcaster KAN11, according to which Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu is securing the necessary permissions from Itamar Ben-Gvir and the Israeli police for the settlers' funded incursions into al-Aqsa.
And last night Israel launched what is believed to be the largest aggression in the West Bank in 22 years, as per Al Mayadeen, with Israeli military forces targeting the Palestinian cities of Jenin, Tulkarm, Nablus, and Tubas and even besieging hospitals, in violation of humanitarian laws.
These are real, reckless provocations!
And this escalation in the West Bank comes after an Israeli airstrike in Tulkarem last Monday, 26th August 2024 (see this Al Mayadeen article), and after armed Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian village, setting houses and vehicles on fire, in the night between 15th and 16th August 2024, as I reported in the article in the link below.
Now Palestinian Resistance factions are calling for general mobilization in the West Bank. with Hamas issuing a statement saying that Israel's aggression against the West Bank is “an attempt to implement the plans of the extremist government” and emphasizing that, in addition to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the aggression in the West Bank is a natural outcome of the “suspicious international silence” over Israel's blatant violations of all international laws, as reported this afternoon by Al Mayadeen. Hamas urged the Palestinian security forces…
to fulfill their responsibilities, recognize the dangers threatening our national cause, join the sacred battle of our people, and continue the path of Resistance until the occupation is defeated and our people achieve their freedom and right to self-determination.
Another Palestinian faction, the Mujahideen Movement, affirmed that the…
aggression against the West Bank was part of the open war led by the occupation government and its leader, Benjamin Netanyahu
…and held the Outlaw US Empire…
fully responsible for this new brutal aggression against our people in the West Bank due to its sponsorship and support for the terrorism and crimes of the occupying entity.
The al-Quds Brigade, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), launched “Operation Terror of the Camps” in retaliation to the Israeli military operation “Summer of Camps” in the West Bank.
The Fatah Movement released a statement saying that the Israeli aggression against…
Gaza and the West Bank will not terrorize our people or dispel their will for freedom and independence.
It looks like Israel has just compacted all Palestinian factions all together. Congratulations, Bibi!
The President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, had to cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia, as reported by The Guardian, and his office stated that the Israeli aggression “comes as a continuation of the comprehensive war against our people, our land, and our holy sites”, as reported by Al Mayadeen, who also cited Nabil Abu Rudeina, spokesperson for the Palestinian presidency, as saying that the Israeli…
policy of escalation, destruction of cities, killing citizens, arrests and colonization will not bring security and stability to anyone, and everyone will pay the price for these Israeli follies.
Abu Rudeina called on the Outlaw US Empire to “intervene immediately and force the occupation authorities to stop their comprehensive war”, but his call will fall on deaf ears. As The Guardian reported here, the Outlaw US Empire today has announced new sanctions against Israeli settlers, in particular…
Hashomer Yosh, an Israeli group that has supported the unauthorized settler outpost of Meitarim Farm in the south Hebron Hills
…and…
Yitzhak Levi Filant, who is accused of leading armed settlers in setting up roadblocks and patrols “to pursue and attack Palestinians in their lands and forcefully expel them from their lands.”
Drops in the ocean. These sanctions serve no purpose except for PR (Public Relations), to pretend that they are doing something. What is needed is an arms embargo on Israel and economic sanctions on the Israeli government: only this will stop the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and in the West Bank.
Another Al Mayadeen article collected international condemnation of Israeli attacks in the West Bank from the Arab League, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey and the United Nations (UN).
The Guardian also reported the following:
Mustafa Barghouti well summarized the events from today: what is happening in the West Bank is the extension of the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
We will see how things develop in the West Bank. In the meantime we keep waiting for Iran's retaliation to the Israeli assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran almost one month ago.
According to arrangements agreed after Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem (Al-Quds) in 1967, Jews are allowed to perform rituals at the courtyard of the Al-Buraq Wall. Non-Muslims can visit Al-Aqsa only during certain hours, but are prohibited from performing rituals there. However, since 2003, Israeli authorities have altered this arrangement by allowing settlers to enter the al-Aqsa Mosque without the approval of the Islamic Waqf, with the latter repeatedly calling for an end to these incursions.
changing the goal posts... or is it non negotiation capable?? it seems like the usa and israel are 2 peas in the same pod.. it makes sense the usa will support israel - right or wrong... the usa is as responsible for what is happening here as israel is... until this umbilical cord is cut, (or is it ''biblical''?) the world has to watch as the usa and israel descend further down into the hole of ethical and moral depravity for all the world to see..