The third Intifada

The recent Israel-Palestine clashes, which have resulted in multiple deaths, may lead to the third “Intifada.”

Joint List lawmakers have blamed the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for the violence that erupted in al-Aqsa Mosque earlier this month.

Background

Relations between Israel and Palestine have always been tense. The two sides have engaged in conflict for decades since 1948. Much of the violence is due to the formation of Israel on land that used to be Palestine. An overview of Israel’s history can be found here.

The al-Aqsa mosque is the third holiest site in Sunni Islam. It is located in the Old City of Jerusalem. Control of the mosque has been vested with the Waqf Ministry of Jordan since 1967 after the Six Day War. Israeli Security Forces are permitted to patrol and conduct searches within the perimeter of the mosque. Jews believe that the mosque has been built on the site of a holy Jewish Temple. At first, they were not allowed to enter. But now they can enter the mosque during times allocated for tourists but are not allowed to pray.

The sensitive region has been the site for violent clashes.

The recent protests in Jerusalem and across Palestinian territories occurred as a reaction to new security measures imposed by the Israeli army in the area. Three Palestinians were killed in the resultant violence in separate incidents. In retaliation, a Palestinian man entered an Israeli home in the West Bank settlement Halamish, a killed three members of the family.

Analysis

Intifada denotes to Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The First Intifada took place between 1987 and 1993. The Second Intifada occurred between 2000 and 2005. And now, the Joint List, the political alliance of four Arab-dominated parties in Israel, believes the third one has begun.

Taleb Abu Arar, a Joint List Member of the Parliament in a statement said, “The government's brutal actions at the Al-aksa Mosque, changing the status quo by placing metal detectors, will necessarily lead to a third Intifada, that already began today.”

The Palestinian protesters are against the new security rules which ban Muslim men under the age of 50 from entering. Metal detectors have also been installed in the compound. The Israeli army has fired live ammunition, tear gas and rubber-coated bullets at the protestors.

Assessment

Our assessment is that the international community, especially the US, must intervene to de-escalate the situation. Jordan will be a key player in trying to establish status-quo back to the area but the country has also sought international support. The earlier two Intifadas have lasted years and resulted in the deaths of thousands. They have also led to further impoverishment of those living in West Bank and the Gaza Strip.