As the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian media "celebrate" 50 years since the arson attack at Al-Aqsa Mosque, once again inciting against Israel as responsible for the firebomb that Michael Dennis Rohan (a deranged Christian) threw at the mosque, recent terrorist attacks have taken on religious overtones.
The question of whether the attack near Dolev on Friday was organized or the initiative of a few lone attackers, is an important one, but it is less important than what has been taking place among the Palestinian public these past few weeks. All the recent perpetrators of terrorist attacks – the stabbers as the Chain Gate, the car-rammers near Elazar, the strangler on the Allenby Bridge, and the bombers at Danny Spring – all feed off the same religious source. That is the modern-day blood libel that "Al-Aqsa is in danger." This false story describes Israel as working to take down the Temple Mount mosques, and even planning to change the status quo on the Mount.
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The story is always a part of the sermons preached at mosques, in media cartoons, in Arab and Palestinian newspapers, and in the speeches of Palestinian leaders, both from Hamas and the PA. Hundreds of attackers – stabbers, car-rammers, and shooters – have taken action in the name of that lie, "to protect Al-Aqsa." The Palestinian public has been drinking it in for years, and now more than ever. It is drunk, not on wine but on wild, mendacious religious incitement. The libel itself has long since become more than propaganda and turned into a real weapon that creates terrorism. It must be countered by operations and public relations work together.
The latest terrorist attacks are not "lone-wolf" incidents. We aren't talking about a lone wolf but wolves that are part of a pack – a pack of consciousness, but still a pack. They might make the decision to carry out attacks alone, and even act alone, but they all drink from the same poisoned well. In the name of Islam, everything is permissible – incitement, lies, falsehoods, and murder.
Religious incitement
The phrase "attacks of atmosphere" is also misleading. The atmosphere that creates those attacks – the atmosphere that inspires the car-rammer and stabbers and shooters to perpetrate "lone" attacks – has existed for years. Recently, it has intensified as part of the ongoing "festival" of glorifying terrorism, jihad, and bloodshed against Jews and Israelis. And yes, the roots of that incitement are religious!
When Islam defines itself as the supreme religion and Judaism (and Christianity) as inferior, unimportant religions; when the Palestinians insist on not recognizing Israel as a Jewish state; and when the battle against Israel in general and over Jerusalem, in particular, is repeatedly described as "ribat" – a holy war to defend Islamic territory – the production line putting out religious attackers grows longer. It's no surprise that most of the terrorist attacks these past few weeks have taken place on weekends, before or after the main prayers at mosques. It's also no wonder that Hamas and the PA place crowns on the heads of terrorist murderers by repeating their links to defending Al-Aqsa.
Aside from the operational aspect of dealing with terrorism, it is also necessary to address its religious roots, especially by striking a harsh blow against the inciters who constantly rope in Al-Aqsa for their own purposes and send murderous terrorists out into the streets. Israel has an obligation to confront the lie. We must remember that Al-Aqsa was set on fire by a young Australian Christian, who was found incompetent to stand trial and was eventually committed to a psychiatric ward.
We must also remember that Israel is doing everything it can to protect Al-Aqsa Mosque, and even made an enormous, inconceivable concession by giving up the implementation of the most basic Jewish right at Judaism's holiest site – it gave up allowing Jews to pray on the Mount.
If Israel is "responsible" for the arson attack at Al-Aqsa, as it is accused of being on a near-daily basis, then Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are "responsible" for the slaughters that have taken place at the Grand Mosque in Mecca and the Red Mosque in Pakistan, and Jordan is "responsible" for a Jordanian soldier murdering Israeli schoolgirls at Naharayim in 1997. Egypt would also be "responsible" for the massacre of Israeli tourists by an Egyptian soldier at Ras Burqa in 1985. But only Israel is accused again and again, mainly because the enemy is supported by a religious base. That is how they truly see the conflict, and that cannot be ignored. A religious war is dangerous, but a war against lies is vital. We can and must smash the lies that foster terrorism.
