In the last 12 days, the world has been enwrapped by the tediously persistent crisis between Israel and Palestinian Arabs. This conflict is a longstanding and deeply complex issue that has plagued the Middle East for decades. At the heart of this dispute lies the city of Jerusalem (or Al’Quds).
To understand the current Israel/Palestinian conflict, it is important to trace back its historical roots. The competing claims to Jerusalem, particularly East Jerusalem, can be traced back to religious and nationalistic factors, which have fueled the ongoing dispute. For Jews, East Jerusalem holds deep historical and religious significance as the capital of ancient Israel and the site of the First and Second Temples. Muslims also revere Jerusalem (Al Quds) as the third holiest city in Islam, as it is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque
Following the Second World War and the much-vaunted horrors of the ‘Holocaust’, Jewish individuals, with the aid of Allied Forces namely Britain, United States and France, sought a homeland, which culminated in the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. However, this led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, sparking resentment and fueling the ongoing conflict.
East Jerusalem and its Old City hold immense religious and cultural importance for all three major monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The city is home to numerous religious sites, including the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Al Aqsa Mosque. The partition of Jerusalem into East and West following the 1948 Arab-Israeli War further exacerbated tensions.
The conflict over East Jerusalem involves multiple parties, including Israel, Palestine, Arabs, Muslims and the pro-Israeli Western powers. Israel considers Jerusalem its undivided capital and has been actively expanding Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem since the 1967 Six-Day War. This stance is rooted in the disputed claims and desire to maintain a unified Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty.
Palestinians, on the other hand, view East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. They argue that the expansion of Israeli settlements undermines the viability of a two-state solution and undermines their aspirations for self-determination. Palestinians, who are descendants of the Phoenicians, the original inhabitants of the region, assert their historical, cultural, and religious ties to Jerusalem, making it an integral part of their national identity.
The international community, including the United Nations has largely criticized Israel’s settlement activities in East Jerusalem, considering them illegal under international law.
Several historical events have further heightened tensions surrounding East Jerusalem. The 1967 Six-Day War resulted in Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem and the subsequent annexation.
For the Muslim world, East Jerusalem is a sacred area of monumental historical significance. One of Islam’s holiest sites,
Masjid Al-Aqsa is located there. It holds a distinguished place in Islamic history and tradition. Indicating its immense significance, the Masjid Al-Aqsa was the first Qibla (direction of prayer)..
Before the Kaaba in Makkah was designated as the Qibla, Muslims would face the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Apart from its role as the initial Qibla, it is also revered due to the event of Isra wal Mi’raj, wherein the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was miraculously transported from Makkah to Jerusalem on a night journey and then ascended through the heavens. He was taken up by Archangel Jibreel ,(Gabriel) to the Heavens to meet Allah.
According to Islamic tradition, one prayer in the Masjid Al Aqsa is equal to 250 prayers.
To both Muslims and the Jews, Jerusalem is not any ordinary land. It is a blessed sanctified land, that God Himself sanctified.
This is the land of the prophets. The land that Abraham (Prophet Ibrahim) migrated to and established his home and communion. This is the land on which the second Masjid on Earth was built by King Solomon of Judea (Prophet Sulaiman). Also, Jerusalem is the promised land on which Moses (Prophet Musa) requested God to let him die close to it, so much so that he would be just a distance of a stone’s throw away from it. In addition, it is a place where Prophet Isa (Jesus) will, on his return, kill the Dajjal (Antichrist). According to Islamic tradition, towards the End Times, the space between Syria, Jerusalem, Jordan and Lebanon will be the place where the best of the inhabitants of Earth will reside.
For all the above reasons, and many more. Muslims, Christians and Jews will wrangle and eternally put claim to this land that had witnessed many overlords and occupiers in recorded history. The status of Jerusalem which was the principal reason why the 2006 Oslo Accord for two-state solution was bottled has proved, once again, to be the bone of contention as Israel continued to insist that the sacred land will not only be an integral part of the State of Israel but its future capital.
During last month’s UN General Assembly, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flaunted his ‘New Middle East’ map, in which he completely erased Palestine and made a mockery of every single UN resolution on the subject. This move drew widespread condemnation across the region and beyond.
For many observers, Netanyahu’s provocative speech at the UNGA set the stage for the Hamas’ October 7 attack in southern Israel. But the straw that broke the camel’s back occurred two days before the operation Al Aqsa Flood, on October 5, when at least 800 Israeli settlers launched a sacrilegious assault on Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, beating pilgrims, destroying Palestinian shops, all under the observation of Israeli security forces.
Not just for Palestinians, but for the entire Arab and Muslim worlds Al Aqsa is a definitive red line.
