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Israel - Tyranny Masquerading as Democracy |
| By
Stephen Lendman |
| Being Muslim in Occupied Palestine or Israel is hazardous to the health,
welfare, safety and lives of its faithful. Israel’s latest desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, assaulting, arresting and injuring Palestinian worshipers, violating their religious rights along with all others, bears testimony to the viciousness of its racist apartheid state. Since Netanyahu ordered Al-Aqsa’s closure on Friday, reopened with unacceptable intrusions on worshipers, Israeli forces responded violently toward justifiable Palestinian resistance. It continued through Monday evening, assaulting worshipers praying in streets outside the mosque, peacefully expressing opposition to so-called Israeli security measures imposed imposed to harass and humiliate Palestinians coming to Al-Aqsa to pray. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, over 50 Palestinians were injured on Monday alone - 16 struck with potentially lethal rubber-coated steel bullets, nine wounded by shrapnel from stun grenades, over 25 sustaining contusions from security force beatings. Palestinian National Initiative secretary-general Mustafa Marghouti and religious leaders were among the individuals assaulted by Israeli forces - excessive force their standard practice against defenseless Palestinians. Barghouti was shot in the head with a rubber-coated steel bullet requiring hospitalization. He stressed Israeli brutality won’t break Palestinian resistance. He called on Muslim and Arab states to boycott Israel to pressure its regime to cease its state-sponsored terrorism. Israeli police spokeswoman Luba al-Samri lied, saying Muslims “performing prayers in the street pos(ed) a threat to their safety and to the safety of other road users.” On Tuesday, sit-ins and prayers continued in streets outside the holy site’s gates. United Council of Waqf Sheik Abd al-Athim Salahb said Palestinians demand the immediate removal of Israeli-imposed measures so worshipers can freely enter the compound and mosque to pray. The Netanyahu regime “want(s) want to change the historic situation in the mosque and implement its plans to divide it both in time and place.” “(T)his can't be accepted since Al-Aqsa, its courtyards, mosques, and passageways are all purely Islamic properties,” Sheikh Salahb explained. According to the Higher Islamic Committee head Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, Israeli-instituted measures aim “to impose (its) full sovereignty (over) Al-Aksa. We reject this completely.” On Monday, Israeli brutality wasn’t against Al-Aqsa worshipers alone. Its security forces invaded Makassed hospital, abducting seriously wounded Palestinian teenager Ala Abu Tayeh from intensive care. He suffered a life-threatening live fire wound Monday night. He may not survive in Israel’s brutal hands. Six other Palestinians threatening no one were abducted in Jerusalem. Israeli forces assaulted and injured several nonviolent Palestinians near Hebron. Seven Palestinians were abducted in Jenin, Tulkaren, Nablus and Tubas. Live IDF rounds were fired at southern Gaza’s Khan Younis homes. Azzoun was invaded and declared a “closed military zone,” Palestinians prevented from entering or leaving it, their lives ruthlessly disrupted. These and other oppressive incidents occurred on Monday alone. Similar ones go on daily throughout the Occupied Territories. The world community yawns and does nothing, letting Israel get away with murder and other high crimes. VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III." http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network. |