Shock, outrage, disbelief and fury are all words that do not begin to describe the reaction to the brutal events yesterday after prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. This was an unforgivable and premeditated act of Israeli aggression, an insane response to legitimate protest to potentially damaging changes to Islam’s third holiest site. The timing of the Israeli police and army attack on protesters is significant. It comes within 24 hours of the historic agreement between Hamas and Fatah at Makkah brokered by the Kingdom. The Olmert government, clearly alarmed at the return of Palestinian unity, wanted to stir up tensions so recently eased. The exact opposite is likely. Palestinians are already rallying in the face of this thuggish Israeli behavior. It could very well be that yesterday’s events at Al-Aqsa will actually cement Palestinian unity.
It ought also to do something else. Faced with an occupying power of such cynicism and brutality, it is clear that there should at present be no question of a Palestinian government unilaterally recognizing the legitimacy of the Israeli state. That recognition can only be granted in return for some positive move by Israel to recognize the rights, both religious and political, of the Palestinians.
The United States and less willingly the Europeans have cut the purse strings to the Hamas government and so plunged all Palestinians into turmoil. They accuse Hamas of being a terrorist organization and condemn it for failing to recognize Israeli political rights. What about Palestinian rights? Yesterday’s outrage makes clear that the Israelis do not recognize them. The assault upon protesters leaving the Al-Aqsa was state-sponsored terrorism. The Israeli authorities were perfectly clear that their ill-advised work on the mosque would provoke protest. Senior Israeli officials had already warned against undertaking the project before seeking discussions with the Palestinians. Instead of heeding such advice, the Olmert government ordered in thousands of heavily armed police and troops and went ahead with the work. Now is the time for Washington and Brussels to recognize the unfairness and partiality of their isolation of Palestine’s democratically elected Hamas government.
In Lebanon last year Israel showed its iron fist in its iron glove and dragged Washington and the EU into supporting its assault upon its neighbor and Hezbollah. That attack failed but the Israelis learned no lessons. They are now seeking to deploy the same vicious tactics against the Palestinians. How any outside state that pretends to evenhandedness and a search for a just peace can continue to support such an aggressive Israeli government beggars belief. The Palestinians have achieved unity with the help of the Kingdom. Now they must achieve an equitable negotiating position with the help of America and Europe. This Al-Aqsa attack was an Israeli attempt to avoid new negotiations. The international community must not let it succeed.
