News Analysis: Al-Aqsa Mosque tension likely to lead to dire consequences in region

The flaring tension at al-Aqsa Mosque compound, which reached its peak this week, may drag the entire region to a religious war amid Israel's attempts to impose a new reality in the area, officials and observers warn.

Azzam el-Khatib, director of al-Waqf (Islamic Properties) Department in Jerusalem, told Xinhua that Israel's recent measures show that there are schemes to "create a new reality in al-Aqsa Mosque in order to expel Muslims out of it and replace them by Jewish extremists."

This week, fierce confrontations broke out at the compound of al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem between dozens of Palestinian worshipers and Israeli police after extremist Jewish groups protected by police tried to enter the compound to mark the Jewish holidays which began on Sept. 13.

Around 70 Palestinians were wounded along with some Israeli policemen when police used rubber bullets to fight against stone-throwers.

Al-Khatib warned of dire consequences of the current tension at al-Aqsa Mosque.

"This will ignite the flames of more tension in the city of Jerusalem, in Palestine and in the Middle East. We have been always warning of this tension," he added.

Located in the old city of East Jerusalem, al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest place for the world's Muslims after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia. The Jews also believe that ruins of their ancient temples are under the compound of al-Aqsa Mosque.

Politically, Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of their future state in the territories occupied by Israel in 1967. Israel says Jerusalem is its undivided capital, although the claim is not recognized by the international community.

In addition to allowing Jewish extremists to pray there, Israel's police also limited the number of worshippers in the al-Aqsa Mosque, banning Palestinians to stay overnight in it.

Rajab Abu Serreya, a Ramallah-based political analyst, told Xinhua that "Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque have been under the Israeli occupation since 1967, therefore Israel has no right under any excuse or claim to make any changes in it."

He added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "is leading a military operation aimed at seizing all Jerusalem and imposing the temporal and spatial division of al-Aqsa by devoting a Jewish right for the Jews to pray there and enter the mosque whenever they want."

However, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the Palestinians will never let these plans to pass.

During a meeting held at his office in Ramallah with Palestinian figures and leaders from East Jerusalem, Abbas said "there will be no Palestinian state without East Jerusalem as its capital."

"Al-Aqsa Mosque is the holy site for all Muslims and Christians. They (Israelis) don't have the right to dirty it with their feet, we will never let them do it and we will do our best to protect Jerusalem," Abbas said.

Meanwhile, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) called on the United Nations Security Council to hold an emergency session to discuss the growing tension at al-Aqsa Mosque.

"International community is demanded to oblige the Israeli government to stop all these criminal and dangerous schemes that only bring violence, chaos and blood," the PLO said in a statement.

WEAK PALESTINIAN POSITION

However, some Palestinian analysts rule out that the ongoing tension will lead to a major uprising on the ground.

Ahmed Rafiq Awad, professor of political science at the al-Quds University, told Xinhua that with an ongoing political division, a third "intifada" is unlikely to happen.

There is a deep political rift between the Palestinian National Authority in the West Bank and Hamas in Gaza. Without united acts, it would be difficult to mobilize people to confront Israel," he said, adding that young people are afraid of losing their improved lives in another bloody conflict.

In addition to this, the Palestinian issue has been marginalized in the international arena since the world has cast its spotlight on fighting "Islamic State" in the Middle East region.

Adnan Abu Aamer, a Gaza-based professor in political science, told Xinhua that the Palestinians find themselves before a gradual Israeli decision aiming at dividing al-Aqsa Mosque without being able to stop the Israeli plan, adding "Israel found a good timing for implementing its schemes." Endit