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OCCUPIED JERUSALEM – Unrelenting attempts by extremist Jewish groups to arrogate a foothold at Al-Haram Al-Sharif, home to Islam's third holiest shrine, are enflaming the situation in Al-Quds (occupied East Jerusalem).
Palestinians in the holy city and across the Palestinian territories, and even those inside what is now Israel, are enraged and on their toes.
Adding to the Palestinian indignation is the chronic deadlock facing the stalled peace process and the increasingly obvious failure of the Obama administration to force Israel to freeze Jewish settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank and Al-Quds.
Many observers, local and foreign, see a striking similarity between the current situation and the circumstances that preceded the second intifada nearly nine years ago.
IslamOnline.net asked several Palestinians from various backgrounds whether they think that a third intifada is in the offing.
Azhar Suleiman, high school student
There is no question that we need a huge uprising in order to extricate ourselves out of the present predicament.
We need an intifada not only in occupied Palestine but all over the Arab world. We need an intifada against the Israeli occupation, the Palestinian Authority and the corrupt Arab regimes.
I am saying this because Israel is taking advantage of the political paralysis throughout the Arab world to take over the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Unfortunately, the Zionists are keeping up their plans and their plots, and all we hear from the Arab countries are verbal condemnations. But you know Al-Quds and Aqsa Mosque will not be liberated by verbal condemnations.
We need another Saladin, but the present Arab situation will not allow a person like Saladin to appear. This is why we must eliminate the present Arab regimes.
Maher al-Zeer, dentist
In physics, excessive pressure leads to explosion or implosion. I think the frustration level in occupied Palestine has reached the explosive point.
However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that a third intifada is around the corner.
Today, it is more difficult for an ordinary intifada to break out due to the presence of the Palestinian Authority. The PA has succeeded in repressing the Palestinian masses like Israel never did in more than 40 years of direct military occupation.
Hence, should an intifada break out, I am certain that the PA would seek to repress it with all strength.
That's said, I don’t rule out the outbreak of an intifada which could assume a different shape and style because people must vent their frustration one way or the other.
Majed Katalo, worker
I think a religious intifada can be expected if Israel continues to provoke Muslims as it has been doing of late.
If the cause of Al-Aqsa Mosque won’t provoke Muslims, then what would provoke them?
However, we need more than just a willingness to die as martyrs for Al-Aqsa. We also need to carefully plan the outcome of any prospective intifada. We must carefully and thoroughly study the first two intifadas and make sure that we don’t repeat the same mistakes.
In short, we must have precise goals that we must achieve. Otherwise, we shouldn’t be carried away by empty slogans about a new intifada.
Ibrahim Hussein Aquil, goldsmith
The people are now thoroughly repressed.
It is true there is a lot of anger and frustration, but most people are in no mood to start an intifada which could only benefit certain political leaders.
This is not to say that people don’t care about Al-Aqsa Mosque and ongoing Jewish attempts to storm the holy place.
But I think Muslims, not just Palestinians, need a mega-intifada against Arab regimes in order to change the entire Arab reality.
Without changing this shameful reality, I think Israel will continue its efforts to seize or even demolish the Aqsa Mosque.
Awadh Rajoub, journalist
I think if Israel goes too far in its efforts to take over parts of Al-Aqsa Mosque, an intifada, even a big one, will be inevitable.
After all, Muslims, especially Palestinians, wouldn’t just sit idle while their holiest place is desecrated and raped by the herds of Zionism.
But, let me be frank about his. The Palestinians alone can’t defeat Israel. We need to have meaningful and tangible Arab-Muslim support in order to be able to wrest our rights from Israeli hands.
So, yes, we can do much, but there are limits to what we can do. Besides, al-Aqsa Mosque belongs to Muslims around the world and it is their individual and collective responsibility to protect it from all danger.
Muhammed al-Huroub, imam
In order to have a successful uprising, we need to have an honest and patriotic leadership like the late leader Yasser Arafat.
Frankly, we don’t have a leadership like that of Arafat, which militates against the outbreak of a new intifada.
This means that a new intifada would be fought relentlessly not only by Israel but also by the Palestinian Authority.
However, there is no doubt in my mind that the cause of Al-Aqsa Mosque transcends all political differences in Palestine and through the Muslim world.
Hence, I think an Islamic religious uprising against Israel will be inevitable if Israel continues its schemes and plots against the Islamic holy shrine.
Abdul Sattar Qassem, Professor of Political Science
Should Israel carry out a "daring action" against Islamic holy places in al-Quds, the outbreak of an uprising, not only in Palestine but throughout the Muslim world, would be inevitable.
However, I don’t see an intifada taking place in the foreseeable future as there is a lot of apathy in occupied Palestine, and many people don’t have a pleasant experience with the past two uprisings.
Moreover, a real intifada requires a lot of free will on the part of the people, which doesn’t exist because of repression by the Palestinian Authority.
Amjad al-Rejie, wheelchair-bound mobile dealer
In order to truly protect Aqsa Mosque, we need to end the Israeli occupation and liberate the holy sanctuary from the hands of the Jews.
An intifada here or a protest there will only show Muslim displeasure and indignation at Israel.
I am not saying this is a bad thing. But let us be honest. The liberation of al-Quds requires a will like steel on the part of Muslims.
This is what we must build in order to deliver the first Muslim Qibla (direction Muslims take in their prayer) from the claws of Zionism.
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