By Serdar Bitmez
DOHA, Qatar (AA) - Israel's violations of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and attacks on the Gaza Strip united Palestinians, and the resistance surprised Tel Aviv, according to the president of the Al Sharq Forum think-tank.
Wadah Khanfar, who was also former Director-General of Al Jazeera, told Anadolu Agency that Israel unwittingly awakened Arabs and Muslims around the world and strengthened awareness that the main cause is the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem.
Stating that Israel lost its self-marketing feature that "provides a comfortable environment for its people in the turbulent Middle East geography and has the security to protect Jews from different parts of the world," he emphasized that Israel has experienced an "unprecedented" spiritual collapse.
He said the main reason for the latest developments in Palestine is the "arrogance" of Israel, which thinks the attack on those who worship at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the last 10 days of the month of Ramadan can be shunned without accountability.
- Israel wrongs about Muslims
"What Israel did in the Masjid al-Aqsa during the month of Ramadan is proof that it began to see the Arab and Muslim peoples as masses who simply followed and did not react. Israel thought that when it committed such crimes, nobody reacted to it and was not angry, but as always they were wrong in understanding this ummah [community] and its people,” said Khanfar.
Although governments seemingly carry out normalization with Israel, the hearts in the Islamic and Arab world are beating for Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque, he said.
The West and Israel do not understand that and are constantly making strategic mistakes on the matter, he said.
Pointing out that Israeli-Arabs were involved in the events for the first time, Hanfer said that they went through a phase where they deeply rediscovered their Palestinian and Islamic identity, belonging and connections, especially through Al-Aqsa Mosque.
At least 230 Palestinians have been killed, including 65 children and 39 women, and more than 1,700 others injured in Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip since May 10, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Health centers, media offices and residential neighborhoods have been targeted.
Recent tensions that started in East Jerusalem during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan spread to Gaza as a result of Israeli assaults on worshippers in the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound and the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
In 1980 it annexed the entire city, a move never recognized by the international community.