Riots in Jerusalem

Riots in Jerusalem

At the moment, the third day into the troubles here in Jerusalem, it doesn't look like the outbreak of a third Intifada. The Palestinians know about our holidays as we know about theirs, and they're stirring up some drama; next week the numbers of Jews visiting the Western Wall will drop back to normal, and the Palestinian inciters will calm down, I expect. (Though I've been wrong before).

It's interesting and important to note that one of the most important Palestinian men doing the incitement, is Ra'ed Salah.

Salah told Haaretz on Monday that the clashes would last as long as
Israel's "occupation" of the city and Al-Aqsa Mosque continued. He said the
Israeli government must understand that using force does not grant it rights to
Al-Aqsa Mosque or anywhere else in East Jerusalem, and that the key to achieving
calm in the area is an Israeli "withdrawal." "No one has rights to the Al-Aqsa
Mosque other than the Muslims. The mosque compound is Muslim, Palestinian and
Arab, and Israel has no rights to the mosque or East Jerusalem," he said. Salah
has been prohibited from entering the Temple Mount area for several months, and
has been staying at a nearby residence while following developments. The Islamic
Movement leader reiterated his call for Arabs within Israel's Green Line and in
Jerusalem to protest beside the mount to "protect Al-Aqsa from the infiltration
of extremist Jewish elements." (My italics)

Salah, in case you don't recognize his name, is an Israeli Arab. He holds Israeli citizenship, most of his followers are Israelis, and he doesn't live under occupation. Not unless you think that any Jewish sovereignty is occupation, or that the Jews have absolutely no claim to this land whatsoever. Which of course is precisely what Ra'ed Salah thinks, and publicly says.

Originally posted by Yaacov Lozowick's Ruminations