Palestinians Protecting Islam’s Third Holiest Site Risk Imprisonment
by Stephen Lendman
Israel kidnaps and brutalizes Palestinians for any reason or none at all. Multiple community intrusions occur daily – families terrorized, children traumatized.
On April 14, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) said soldiers abducted 16 Palestinians, aged 45 – 70, after violently raiding their homes pre-dawn.
On April 29, seven were indicted for “joining a hostile organization.” Sa’adi Rajabi, Anwar al-Qaaq, ‘Adli Abu Ermeila, Mohammad Taher Arafa, Jamal Natsha and Khader Abu Sneina face criminal prosecution for protecting Islam’s third holiest site.
Israel calls it incitement, charging the men for involvement with Murabitun – outlawed last year for protecting Al-Aqsa, demonstrating against increasing Israeli intrusions and attempted control over Islam’s third holiest site.
Extremist Jews want it for a third Jewish temple. They want prohibition against non-Muslim prayer lifted.
Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon’s office shamelessly called banning the group along with its female Murabitat counterpart necessary “to defend the security of the state, the well-being of the public and public order.”
It called both groups “a main factor in creating tension and violence” at the site, ignoring Israel’s full responsibility.
“They engage in incite(ment) and dangerous activity against tourists, visitors and worshipers at the site, which leads to violence…striving to undermine Israeli sovereignty on the Temple Mount,” Ya’alon’s office said, adding:
“They are linked to, and frequently guided by, hostile Islamic organizations.” Islamic Endowments in Jerusalem director Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib called Israel’s decision “totally unacceptable.”
“The occupation regime has no right to intervene in Al-Aqsa’s matters,” he said. “Any Muslim who enters Al-Aqsa mosque and prays is a protector of the mosque. Nobody has a right to prevent a Muslim from entering their holy site and praying.”
Anyone involved with either group risks arrest, prosecution and imprisonment. Israeli soldiers provocatively let extremist Jews storm Al Aqsa, at times responsible for instigating clashes.
Israel considers protecting Islam’s third holiest site a criminal offense.
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.
His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.”
http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html
Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.
Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.
