THE INTIFADA: THE 13th ANNIVERSARY AT THE AL-AQSA MOSQUE
By Mowafa Househ*

"The depressing element of this entire struggle is that the Arafat regime survives and...will be the one to ultimately determine the fate of the Palestinian people."

[Jerusalem - December 2000]:
For the second week since the beginning of the Holy month of Ramadan, the Al-Aqsa mosque has been the focal point of tension between Palestinians youth and Israeli soldiers. The result of this week's confrontation at the Al-Aqsa mosque, which coincided with the 13th anniversary of the first Intifada, led to the death of one Palestinians youth and the injury of twenty others. For the third time, I was at the Al-aqsa mosque and a witness to Israeli savagery versus the Palestinian civilians.

I traveled from Abu-Dis to Jerusalem, an Arab suburb of Jerusalem and at one time a proposed Palestinian capital, and on Friday there were hundreds of Israeli soldiers blocking every conceivable entrance that leads from Abu-Dis to Jerusalem. It was an atmosphere of melancholy as Palestinian men, women and children begged Israeli officers to pass through the cordon so they could attend Friday prayers at the Al-Aqsa mosque. Many elderly women were sobbing as they were turned away because they possessed a West Bank identification card; only Palestinians who possess Jerusalem identification cards were allowed to enter.

Upon passing the first blockade, worshippers had to pass another two before entering the mosque through the Lions Gate. There were hundreds of Police officers stationed at the entrance of the mosque, but they could not bar the worshippers from entering because there were too many. It was an intimidating and humiliating atmosphere as an Israeli Police officer was photographing them, but no one really cared, many laughed at the cameraman and some posed for him.

The Muslim cleric's sermon was fruitless as usual because he never addresses anything relative to the situation at hand but rather talks about the importance of patience and does not teach worshippers how to be patient. The only thing that he mentioned which was out of the ordinary was his chastisement of Palestinian collaborators.

Subsequent to the sermon and the prayers that followed, youths east of the Mosque of Omar Bin Alkhatab (which is the main section of the Al-Aqsa mosque and close to the wailing wall) in front of religious Israeli spectators overlooking the Mosque initiated a demonstration that headed towards the Lions Gate. Thousands of people followed the energetic youths and shouted with them anti-occupation chants. During the demonstration, three Palestinian youth climbed the Dome of the Rock and placed three Palestinian flags on the golden dome. This galvanized the audience and as a result they cheered in jubilation.

The march continued and it approached the Lions Gate. Clashes between the Israeli soldiers and the Palestinian youth erupted and the youth chanted "Allahu Akbar," and through rocks at the soldiers. The soldiers retreated, and the youth proceeded. The Palestinian demonstrators set up barricades between them and the Israeli soldiers using doors, Israeli portable washrooms, and anything else they could find that would shield them from Israeli fire. At times the soldiers would rip through the Palestinian barricades, but then retreat as youth form above the rooftop of the mosque showered them with rocks. Further, a Police post at the Lions Gate was burned for the second time within the last two months. Many Israeli soldiers from various rooftops took pictures and videotaped Palestinians demonstrators, but nonetheless they continued on. Some covered their faces with their T-shirts and others continued without any fear.

The confrontation continued for hours and abated during the Maghrib prayer, which is the time for Muslims to break their fast. It was a quiet time and many of the youths that were throwing rocks outside the mosque were now praying in the mosque and breaking their fast with their friends that were also involved in the demonstration. None of them spoke of what took place for the fear of Arab collaborators.

The Palestinians displayed an awesome show of heroism on Friday when they confronted over 3000 well-armed Israeli soldiers. This confirms the Palestinian people's strong and passionate affiliation with the Al-Aqsa mosque and their determination to liberate it. However, the depressing element of this entire struggle is that the Arafat regime survives and it is the only regime able to and "credible" enough, from a western point of view, to sign a peace deal with the Israelis, and sadly enough this regime will be the one to ultimately determine the fate of the Palestinian people.

* The author has been traveling in Palestine and neighboring Middle East countries in recent months and can be contacted at Mowafa@MiddleEast.Org

Mid-East Realities

www.middleeast.org

Source: http://www.middleeast.org/articles/2001/1/32.htm