ARAB AND WORLD

Wed 28 Feb 2024 6:52 pm - Jerusalem Time

Following Ben Gvir's policy regarding Al-Aqsa during Ramadan may ignite Jerusalem

Senior officials in the Israeli police force said that the Israeli government’s decision to follow the policy pushed by the Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, regarding Al-Aqsa Mosque, and to impose restrictions on the entry of worshipers to the Holy Mosque during the month of Ramadan, may lead to a flare-up of the security situation in the city. Occupied Jerusalem and the historical cities in the 48 regions are known in Israeli discourse as “mixed cities.”


Senior officials in the occupation police explained, according to Channel 1, that the Israeli government will not take a final decision regarding imposing restrictions on the entry of 1948 Palestinian worshipers to Al-Aqsa Mosque during the month of Ramadan, before the end of next week, and according to officials, a final decision has not been taken regarding the nature of these restrictions. Potential limitations.


The channel quoted senior officers in the police command as saying that if the government decides to respond to Ben Gvir’s demands, this may lead to “the ignition of the situation in Jerusalem and the mixed cities.” The officers stressed that “the calm that has prevailed in Arab society since the beginning of the war in Gaza is what It must push decision-makers to refrain from imposing restrictions on Muslim citizens of Israel who wish to pray during the month of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque.”


Earlier today, the Israeli “Abraham Initiatives” organization, in a letter addressed to the Commissioner General of the Israeli Police, Yaakov Shabtai, warned of an escalation that “may erupt” as a result of “irresponsible behavior by police officers who will be stationed in the Old City of Jerusalem and at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque".


Yesterday, Tuesday, the Israeli Minister of Security, Yoav Galant, warned against “Hamas exploiting the month of Ramadan, focusing on the Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa Mosque) and Jerusalem, and turning it into a second phase of its plan that began on October 7, and this is Hamas’s main goal.” Which is being (reinforced) through Iran and Hezbollah.”


He said, "We must not allow them to do that, and the meaning is to calm the region in any way possible. In this aspect, the process must be divided into two simple parts, which you know well, and they make the distinction: who is a saboteur or who should be suspected, or who is on his way to doing so; we must reach To him, stop him and liquidate him.”


Israeli Army Radio reported that the Israeli security service, i.e. the army and the Shin Bet, is calling on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to conduct new deliberations on the restrictions on the entry of Arab citizens of Israel to Al-Aqsa Mosque to pray there during the upcoming month of Ramadan, and to try to change the decision in this regard.


The report stated that the security service submitted a security report, which stated that “there is a high possibility of security deterioration” in the West Bank, and that “if this happens, there is doubt whether we will be able to stop it, in parallel with the fighting and the deployment of forces on all fronts,” in reference to the war. On Gaza and mutual bombing against Hezbollah.


The radio added that the security service will provide Netanyahu with data indicating an 80% increase in shooting operations in the West Bank and Jerusalem in the past year, and that since the beginning of this year more than 500 security incidents have occurred in these two regions.


According to the report, the Israeli security service is monitoring attempts by Hamas to direct armed operations in the West Bank.

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Following Ben Gvir's policy regarding Al-Aqsa during Ramadan may ignite Jerusalem