Alwaght- Al-Aqsa Mosque once again on Monday became scene to the Israeli raids on the worshipers in the holy site. The center of the attacks was Bab Al-Amud and Sheikh Jarrah neighborhoods, with media reporting hundreds of Palestinian civilians injured in the brutal raids.
Resistant Palestinian groups gave Tel Aviv 24 hours to end the campaign to expel the Palestinians from the Al-Quds (Jerusalem), or they will launch heavy attacks in response. As the deadline ended with the Israelis continuing their raids, 346 rockets in a single round were launched on the occupied Al-Quds, Ashkelon, and Tel Aviv, an Israeli news outlet reported, adding that the much-vaunted Israeli anti-missile system, Iron Dome, only managed to intercept 90. So far 31 Israelis have been injured as a result of the missile barrage against Ashkelon, an Israeli radio station confirmed.
The attacks were followed by Israeli airstrikes on Jabalia in northern Gaza Strip as well as Khan Younis neighborhood. The Israeli army spokesman Hidai Zilberman on Tuesday did not rule a ground operation in Gaza. Reports said that the Israel attacks on Gaza killed over 25 Palestinians so far and injured 782 others. The Israeli raids were met by massive condemnation both in Palestine and across the world.
Palestinians highlight resistance to Judaization of Al-Quds
The Israeli criminal attacks and the plan to Judaize Al-Quds have been met with a strong reaction, especially from the Palestinian political factions, who have now called for comprehensive resistance to the scheme and warned Tel Aviv of retaliation.
In the most important reaction of the Joint Operations Room of the Palestinian groups in Gaza, they warned the Israeli regime about the continuation of the aggression and issued a statement emphasizing that "the time of Israel running rampant in Al-Quds is over." The statement assured the Palestinian people, and especially the residents of Al-Quds, that the resistance would not leave them alone and will be their "shield and sword." Gaza-based groups also reported that they carried out attacks on the occupied Palestinian territories in the battle of "Saif al-Quds" (Sword of Al-Quds), firing rockets on Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities.
In West Bank, the Palestinian Authority on Tuesday lashed out at the US government for its silence to the Israeli attacks on the Palestinian sanctities and citizens on the holy city. The statement accused President Joe Biden administration of lacking the will to break the Trump-established framework aimed at supporting Tel Aviv and its crimes against the Palestinians. At the same time, the Palestinian Authority blamed the Israeli government for aggravating the situation in Gaza and occupied Al-Quds, and announced that all Eid Al-Fitr celebrations would be canceled to "mourn the martyrs of the occupation's attacks on the Gaza Strip."
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said in a statement on Tuesday that the Palestinian resistance was responsible for "protecting the nation and responding to the occupiers' violations and crimes against the people of Al-Quds and worshipers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, and attacks on civilians and children and also resistance bases in Gaza." He added that the deliberate attack of the Israeli forces on the" safe houses" and the killing of children and women shows "the brutality and the scale of the crimes of this entity."
On Monday, Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the spokesman to the Palestinian presidency, called the Israeli brutality against the Palestinian worshippers in Al-Aqsa Mosque a "new challenge" to the world and American administration. Abu Rudeineh, official Palestinian news agency (WAFA) reported, said the "Palestinian leaders and people will never allow Israel implement its plans."
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while asking the Security Council for international support for the Palestinians, emphasized that "this support is not a privilege or a favor, but a legitimate duty and right for the occupied nation, which faces various forms of crimes."
Arab nations condemn the Israeli crimes
In addition to Palestinian groups, Arab countries also widely condemned the Israeli regime. In one of the most important reactions, the Saudi Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned in a statement the recent attacks on the Palestinians and the desecration of Al-Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli military. Saudi Arabia has also called on the international community and international organizations to hold the Israeli occupiers responsible for the attacks and escalation of events in Al-Quds, and for the Israelis to stop their attacks and crimes against Palestinians and holy sites that violate all international law.
In Iraq, Abu Yasir, an aide to Muqtada al-Sadr, the leader of the Sadr movement in Iraq, announced his readiness to defend Al-Aqsa Mosque
"We declare our full readiness to sacrifice our lives for the holy places, including the holy Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque," Abu Yasir was quoted as saying. "We are waiting for a hint. We are the soldiers of the sanctities. We are eager to face the enemies of God and humanity and a handful of Israeli criminals," he further said.
"Al-Quds is a red line and that Jordan's current efforts are aimed at ending tensions. Maintaining peace and stability in the city of Quds is the basis of stability in the region, and for this purpose, all illegal and provocative Israeli actions against the Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah and its aggression in the Holy Shrine must stop," Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safdi, who on Monday met the American Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington, told the journalists.
Moreover, Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar University, called the world silence against the brutal Israeli actions against the Palestinians living in Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque "shameful." According to the Al-Nashra website, el-Tayeb lauded the "oppressed people of Palestine" and stressed: "As time passes, Palestine will continue to stand up to the tyrants and will not surrender, and the Palestinian people will continue to defend their land, honor, sanctities, and Al-Aqsa Mosque as the first qibla of the Muslims and the Islam's third holiest site."
In Yemen, too, the reaction was strong. Mohammad Ali al-Houthi in a sarcastic tweet brought under fire the American stance that offers support to the Israeli regime.
"The Pentagon expressed its support to the Israelis and Saudis. The outcome is massacring of the Palestinians and Yemenis, and it still claims advocacy to the peace initiative ," his tweet read.
Despite all the condemnations coming from the Arab world, some compromising Arab states still continue betrayal of the Palestinian cause. An example is the Emirati and Saudi newspaper reactions. Newspapers in these two monarchies fully dropped the Israeli crimes in Al-Aqsa Mosque and Sheikh Jarrah from their pages. They even in a single page did not publish a news story or an official or popular solidarity with the Palestinians. This comes while in the past few weeks, they extensively celebrated Israeli events.
International community calls for Israeli self-restraint, return to calm in Al-Quds
As the Israeli regime continues its brutality against the Muslims in Al-Aqsa Mosque and its aggressive attacks on the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in addition to Arab countries and Palestinian internal groups, various countries and international organizations have condemned its actions. In the strongest response, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spokesman Stephen Dujarric stressed the need for Tel Aviv to adhere to the highest level of restraint and respect for the Palestinian right for freedom of peaceful assembly.
"Guterres called on Israel to stop destruction and expulsion," Dujarric said as it expressed deep concern with the ongoing violence and possible expulsion of the Palestinians from their homes.
Josep Borrel, EU's foreign policy chief, was another party to comment on the Israeli attacks. He said "we are deeply concerned" about what is going on in Al-Quds.
"It is clear that all sides must uphold and fully respect the status quo of the holy sites. And all leaders have a responsibility to act against extremists," he said, adding: "The situation with regard to the evictions of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah and other areas of East Jerusalem is a matter of serious concern. I want to repeat what we have already been saying: Such actions are illegal under international humanitarian law and only serve to fuel tensions on the ground. It is important that everything possible will be done to avoid fuelling tensions. And we note that the decision to stop Jewish worshippers from accessing the esplanade is a positive one that can calm the situation."
Ilhan Omar, a Muslim Democrat of the Congress, in a Twitter post called the Israeli airstrikes terrorism.
"Israeli air strikes killing civilians in Gaza is an act of terrorism. Palestinians deserve protection. Unlike Israel, missile defense programs, such as Iron Dome, don’t exist to protect Palestinian civilians. It’s unconscionable to not condemn these attacks on the week of Eid."
On Monday, the US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan talked to his Israeli counterpart, telling him that the white House had "serious concerns" about the violent actions of the Israeli forces in Al-Quds and also expulsion of the Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood during Ramadan.
China asked the Israeli regime to show self-restraint and restore peace in Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu was another official to attack Tel Aviv for its violations. He highlighted the Turkish support for the Palestinians.
Muslims from Syria to Turkey show solidarity with Palestine
In addition to officials, Muslim citizens in different countries held various demonstrations in solidarity with the Palestinians. Large-scale demonstrations were held in Bahrain on Thursday night in support of Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque and in solidarity with the oppressed Palestinian people in Gaza. In Syria, a ceremony was held in support of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the city of Al-Quds, attended by large numbers of Syrians, including tribal representatives and hundreds of Palestinian refugees in northern Syria.
Also, thousands of Turkish citizens and Arab expats in Turkey in front of the Israeli consulate in Istanbul condemned the actions of the occupiers in Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque and airstrikes on Gaza. The demonstrators held Turkish and Palestinian flags and chanted slogans against the Israeli occupation and actions against the Palestinians. Anti-Israeli rallies were also held in other Turkish cities. In the Turkish capital, Ankara, thousands gathered in front of the Israeli embassy to condemn the Israeli cruelty against the Palestinians.
In Burj el-Shimali camp in Tyre, Lebanon, anti-Israeli rallies were held with massive presence. Also, thousands of Palestiniand in the occupied territories of 1948 held massive rallies in solidarity with Al-Quds compatriots. The event became a scene for clashes as the Israeli troops attacked the demonstrators in a set of neighborhoods. The Palestinian marches were arranged in Baqa al-Gharbiyye, Laramlah, Kafr Manda, Kafr Kana, Al-Faridis, Shefa Amr, Nahif, Jadeidi-Makr, Dir Hanna, Sakhnin, Lod, Tamrah, Majd al-Krum, Urabah, Eyn Mahel, and Negev.
