On August 21, 1969, an Australian Jewish extremist identified as Michael Dennis Rohan set the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem on fire. The mosque is one of three most holy and most important places in the hearts of Muslims worldwide.

The mosque burnt and the flames were spreading but the determination and persistence of Muslim and Christian Palestinians who stood together, managed to put the fire out.

Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli police cut the water supply immediately after the mosque was set on fire, and barred hundreds of Arabs, and the firefighters from reaching the area. The fire totally burnt some of the mosque historic counters, several ceilings and the southern rooftop.

At that time, Israel claimed that the fire was caused by an electric circuit but engineers who examined the location, determined that the fire was human made. Later on, Israel said that Michael Dennis Rohan, an Australian Jew was behind the fire and that after interrogating him he said that “Jesus sent him to remove the mosque in order to enable the Jews built their temple in its place”.

The Israeli court ruled that Rohan was insane and decided to deport him to his homeland, Australia.

The burring of this holy and historic site shocked the Arab world and was yet another proof that the mosque was always targeted and is still a target as extreme groups in Israel are still threatening to demolish the mosque.

Muslims and Arabs held protests for three consecutive days in ever Arab country, and then the UN Security Council issued resolution number 271 slamming Israel and calling on it to void all arrangement that could alter the status of Jerusalem. Yet, Israel ignored the resolution as it did with every single resolution regarding the Palestinian-Israeli and Arab-Israeli conflict.

The mosque remains there, in the Old City of Jerusalem, and so remains the threats against it.

In 1979, a group of 40 extremist Jews attempted to break into the mosque and yet they were all acquitted by an Israeli court.  

In January, 27, 1982, an extremist group attempted to wire the mosque and detonate it but the plan was uncovered and ended in failure.

In January, 14, 1989, several extreme right wing members of Knesset broke into the mosque and heavy police protection.

In September, 2000, the then Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, visited the mosque was surrounded with armed bodyguards, and this provocative visit sparkled the second intifada which became known as the Al Aqsa Intifada.

In July 2008, the Israeli police and security services revealed that they believe that extremist groups might be planning to attack the mosque using an unmanned drone.

And today, 40 years after the first attack, the mosque is still threatened by dozens of people who want be a “Rohan”, dozens who want to level destroy the mosque and burns it down to the ground.  

   Arabic Source: Al Jazeera

Israeli sources reported on Thursday that the Jordanian Foreign Minister, Salah Bashir, met with the Israeli ambassador in Jordan to protest against the Israeli excavations near the Al Aqsa mosque, in the occupied East Jerusalem. Jordan said that the digging will lead to a new wave of violence in the Middle East, and that Jerusalem is a Red Line for all Arabs and Muslims.

Mohammad Abu Hdeib, head of the Jordanian lower house of parliament's committee on international affairs, stated that Bashir informed the Israeli ambassador that Jordan rejects the illegal Israeli measures, and added that the excavations near the Mughrabi Gate which leads to the Al Aqsa Mosque violates the 1994 peace deal between Jordan and Israel, and also violates international agreements.

Talking to the AFP, Abu Hdeib stated that Israel excavations and its planned ones pose a threat to the foundations of the Al Aqsa Mosque, one of three most holy sites in Islam.

Meanwhile, Jordan’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Nassar Habashneh, said that the ministry demanded Israel to stop all unilateral actions that might affect the status of Jerusalem, and the Mughrabi Gate.

 Habashneh added that Jordan was informed that the Israel intends to resume the digging under the mosque and its vicinity to create a pathway between the Western Wall and the mosque compound. The current excavations started the excavations in February 1997.

It is worth mentioning that the Jordanian FM also held talks with ambassadors of the European Union, and the five permanent member countries of the UN Security Council [Britain, France, Russia, China and the United States].

 He demanded the five countries to intervene and stop Israel from talking any unilateral moves that would affect the final status of Jerusalem.

mughrabi_gate_digging.jpeg

Ismail Haniyya, one of the prominent Hamas political leaders in Gaza, and the Prime Minister of the dissolved government, stated on Thursday that the Palestinians will not accept any peace deal that excludes Jerusalem.

He added that his government and the Palestinian people reject the “Shelf Agreement” which was presented by the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, and excludes Jerusalem and the Right of Return.

Haniyya also said that the Palestinians, and their upcoming generations, will never abandon their rights to liberate Jerusalem.

The Hamas leader stated that the siege on the Gaza Strip will never force the Palestinians to abandon their legitimate rights, and that the Palestinian people will always defend Jerusalem and its historic and Muslim sites.

“Liberating Jerusalem will be achieved by resistance, by sacrifice and not by negotiations, meetings, hugging and kidding the enemy”, Haniyya said, “Liberating Jerusalem is inevitable, and the Palestinian generations will always carry the flame of resistance, and only the Jihad is capable of achieving this aspiration”.

He added that Israel wants to destroy the Al Aqsa mosque, and that it is the responsibility of every Arab and Muslim to defend it.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ahmad Bahar, the acting head of the Palestinian Legislative Council, slammed on Thursday what he described as the Arabic and Islamic dreadful silence while Israel continue to attack the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem and the Arabic sites in the city.

He added that Palestine is not only for the Palestinians, but also the Arab and Muslim nations must defend Palestine and its holy sites.

Bahar also said that the Legislative Council issued a new ruling forbidding giving up Jerusalem in any peace talks with Israel.

Also, Taleb Abu Sha’ar the Minister of Waqf and Religious Affairs, announced the launch of a popular campaign which comes as the Palestinians are marking the 39th anniversary of burning the Al Aqsa mosque by Israeli extremists.

The campaign includes collecting 7 million signatures  on a document which is considered a vow for Jerusalem as part of the Arab and Islamic faith. It also affirms the Palestinian right to have Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state without any concessions on the holy city.

Israeli military sources reported on Thursday that soldiers arrested an unarmed Palestinian man who infiltrated into Israel from the Gaza Strip.

The sources stated that the man tried to infiltrate into Israel through the Kissufim Israeli Crossing.

Before the soldiers were able to arrested the Palestinian man, the army closed all highways in the area after receiving reports of the infiltration.

The Palestinian man could have trying to enter Israeli to search for work as the Gaza Strip is sinking in poverty especially due to the ongoing Israeli siege.

Also on Thursday, Israeli sources reported that 122 Palestinians “illegally” staying in Israel were arrested and then were transferred back to the Palestinian territories. Four Israeli residents were also arrested and interrogated for housing Palestinian illegally staying in Israel.

After two petitions were filed against the route of a section of the Annexation Wall near Jerusalem, the Israeli High Court of Justice decided to reroute the Wall in order to avoid annexing more Palestinian lands.

The decision came after the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, and his Defense Minister, Ehud Barak, notified the court of the government’s decision to reroute the Wall.

 Israeli sources reported that the office of the State Prosecutor notified the Court on Thursday of the decision which will spare some 4.000 Dunams of Palestinian lands near Maali Adumim settlement, east of Jerusalem.

 A statement released by the Israeli government on Thursday said that the new route is considered a significant change in plans for the Annexation Wall in East Jerusalem.

It is worth mentioning that nine protestors were wounded on Thursday after the army attacked a peaceful protest against the Wall in Ni’lin village, south of the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Maali Adumim settlement