[…] National Telegraph […]
Written By Raheel Raza, Posted on May 11, 2021
Major coverage in mainstream media is about violent clashes in Israel this past week and ongoing.
The Globe and Mail (one of Canada’s main newspapers) covered the story on May 10 with the headline “Flag Waving Israeli March to Go Ahead” and the story repeated the same paragraph twice about Israeli police clashing with hundreds of Arab students.
The point being is that most mainstream coverage of the incidents as one-sided with Israel getting the raw end of the deal and with little or no context. The news stories portray a victimized Muslim/Palestinian community during the last important days of Ramadan (the holiest month of the Islamic calendar) being attacked indiscriminately by ‘wicked’ Israelis. As a result, all over the Muslim world, Muslims are in a hysterical frenzy posting on media, social media, writing, and exposing the ‘evil’.
If I, as a Pakistani-born Canadian Muslim had not visited Al Aqsa Mosque for Friday prayers on my visits to Jerusalem, perhaps I too would have been influenced by this blatant one-sided propaganda against Israel. I have been there and have heard disturbing hate-filled Friday sermons inciting Palestinians to rise against Israel. It starts with a fiery sermon from the pulpit and then after the prayers a few selected Palestinian youth start raising slogans against Israel and a bomb of frenzied worshippers is created.
There is very little faith and lots of politics with calls to violence. The Palestinians use Al Aqsa as their launching pad for violence and terrorism. Now they are using the holy month of Ramadan to perpetuate their planned attacks when as Muslims they should know that violence, war, and fighting is specifically prohibited during Ramadan. By the way, this has very little to do with the holiest day of Ramadan (as they are crying) but has more to do with Jerusalem Unification Day among other issues.
According to one report, Palestinians threw chairs, shoes, rocks, and bottles, and shooting fireworks at Israeli police. In the days leading up to Friday’s mass rioting in the Temple Mount compound Palestinians had stockpiled stone slabs, rocks, and fireworks around the site. The police responded with stun grenades, tear gas, and rubber bullets.
Palestinians were throwing rocks and firing fireworks at Israeli soldiers, and then they ran to hide inside Al Aqsa Mosque from the police. you’re not only breaking the law by attacking the police but you’re also desecrating YOUR holy place.#IsraelUnderFire #IStandWithIsrael pic.twitter.com/1EXQiuXHJs
— koral 🧚 (@tgpboss) May 11, 2021
Another Muslim who is incensed by the events is Noor Dahri, Executive Director of ITCT – Islamic Theology of Counter-Terrorism.
Dahri says:
The recent clash at Al-Aqsa was pre planned by Hamas before the month of Ramadan and it has a few strong reasons behind it….Hamas has launched rockets attack at Jerusalem and thousands of residents run to hide in bomb shelters which was not a good sign as it would be seen a direct attack at Israeli capital and Israel would definitely take military action in Gaza and this is what Hamas wanted to repeat the same military operation of Ramadan War (Operation Protective Adge) in 2014.
The crux of the crisis is Shaikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem. This area holds deep religious and historical significance for Jews. A small Jewish community lived in the area before 1948, when East Jerusalem fell under Jordanian control. Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed it, in a move not recognized by most of the international community. There have been moves to evict tenants who did not pay the rent.
According to Khaled Abu Toameh writing for The Jerusalem Post “The Palestinians have succeeded in turning the dispute over the ownership of a number of houses in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah into a major crisis that has now caught the attention of the United Nations, the European Union and the US administration, as well as several countries and local and foreign media organizations.”
The legal status of Shaikh Jarrah as litigated over 50 years is as follows:
According to the Supreme Court, the land in question “was owned by Chief Rabbi (Hacham Bashi) Avraham Ashkenazi and Chief Rabbi Meir Orbach until the War of Independence [1948], after they purchased it in 1875 from its Arab owners.”
Subsequently, two Jewish organizations, Va’ad Eidat HaSfaradim and Va’ad HaKlali L’Knesset Yisrael, worked to register the land with British Mandatory government in 1946.
The properties were registered with Israeli authorities under these two organizations in 1973.
These organizations sold the properties to the Nahalat Shimon organization in 2003.
On February 10, 2021, the Jerusalem District Court upheld an October 2020 Jerusalem Magistrate Court decision, requiring a number of Sheikh Jarrah residents to vacate properties they are living in by May 2, 2021. Following this decision, the residents appealed to the Supreme Court. The Court gave the two sides until May 6, to report if they have reached a compromise to settle out of court. Since then, the hearing has been postponed.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) report accused Israel of engaging in ‘apartheid’ practices, while International pressure has put Israel on the spot as the perpetrator of crimes, even calling this an International criminal offence. Meanwhile, rocket fire from Gaza continues causing at least 39 fires in Israeli fields plus arson balloons and burned tires.
Iron Dome working over Tel Aviv after rocket barrages pic.twitter.com/bGHlf9jr7u
— ELINT News (@ELINTNews) May 11, 2021
There is has been very little said outside of Israel about the involvement of Iranian supported Hamas and Hizbullah, not just for this current crisis but for a long time. Hamas has never been shy about their intentions telling youth to “harm the enemy everywhere” while supporters fly Hamas flags and repeat chants of ‘victory’.
“We are all Hamas, waiting for your orders commander Mohammed Deif. Hamas — shoot a rocket at Tel Aviv tonight,” they were quoted as chanting by Channel 13 News, referring to the head of the terror movement’s armed wing.
Hizbullah is not far behind. Hizbullah’s missile arrays are deployed in all 200 Shiite villages south of the Zaharani River up to the border with Israel, with an estimated capacity of firing up to 2,000 missiles a day.
Those who are quick to accuse Israel rarely speak about the hate that has been churning for decades and for cries of annihilation of the State of Israel.
Is this not a hate offence?
[…] National Telegraph […]
A well written report. Thanks for your effort. It raises awareness.
[…] National Telegraph […]
November 24, 2024
November 11, 2024
Raheel is an amazing person who always does her homework and she is extremely knowledgeable. As so often happens, Jews bought the land from Arab landowners over a hundred years ago. Many of the Arab renters described have never paid rent, as the court system had required them to do- and Israel has been extremely patient. Thank you, Raheel for your adherence to truth
Absolutely disgusting article the author should be ashamed for writing this biased garbage. The audacity to criticize the way Palestinian people are handling their own oppression, apartheid and ethnic cleansing is abhorrent. Do you really expect Palestinian people PRAISE and ACCEPT the clear hatred Israel has for them. Israel has kept Palestinians under a illegal occupation for decades and the Palestinian people should not even raise their voice against it? Palestinians should go to Al Aqsa and thank the zionists for stealing their homes, murdering their children and forcing them into poverty with no rights to live freely? Absolutely disgusted by this article, shame on the author and shame on the the National Telegraph for posting this.
Very disappointed in this article. How can you expect the Palestinians to simply accept their stolen lands and livelihoods? Wouldn’t you fight with all you had if you were in their situation? They have the right to self -determination. If life was so wonderful for the Palestinians then why would they fight the system and risk their own families lives? The system and oppression is so horrible that it’s worth fighting for.
Very repulsed by the false information presented in this article. No mention about the illegal occupation (illegal under International Law) and the ethnic cleansing and genocide being carried out by Israel against Palestinians. No mention about the open air prison in Gaza. No mention of the lack of freedom of movement and the oppression that Palestinians have been facing for decades. Very biased and dangerous article. This needs to be removed.
It is so obvious that this is propaganda and does not represent the truth. Please do not allow false information to be spread.
So disgusted by this article. I’m so disgusted that I wanna puke all over it. Please keep not growing sand in peoples eyes to legitimize Israel’s war crimes and mass genocide.
This information is completely false and is being used to legitimize the illegal activities of oppression being carried out by Israel.
To live and let live. Golden words that have lost all meaning today. Nobody got successful with lies. And lies is what this is. Plain and simple. And I’m appalled by my government’s bare efforts to speak up against oppression. I’m ashamed of humanity today.
This article is nothing but false info and an attempt of israel supporters getting them sympathy in the midst of all the injustice & cruelty they are openly doing. Totally disgusted by this article
You can lie and try paint Israel positively as much as you want but don’t think people are stupid to buy this BS. What is happening in Palestine in open and for the world to see. The lies that you have tried to churn out in this article absolutely appalling. Have some respect for what you do. It’s a noble profession and your job is to bring forth the truth. Next time you write something atleast try to be truthful and unbiased. It’s a that shame that you need to be reminded of your duties towards your profession.
What a nonsense article! Are the Palestinian people supposed to just accept their situation and turn over the other cheek? They do not have an army … how else are they expected to fight for their rights and their land. Please don’t pick and choose certain situations to prove your point. Look at the complete picture before reporting!!!
This article is spreading false information and legitimizing what Israel is doing.
Absolutely inhumane act of even publishing this article. The author have audacity to to openely spread false information and the media is supporting her in this ! Shame on you. One day Palestine will get justice and their homes back.
I suppose this so-called journalist wouldn’t mind a settler walking into her house, telling her the house belongs to their family, and kicking them all out. If you refuse, then the police barrel in and assault you all, arrest all the men and little boys, and leave you on the street. Then when you use the only means you have (rocks and words), they bomb the hell out of you. Please spare me the rockets, which hardly ever go anywhere, and fireworks. You are a shameful Zionist propagandist.
your comments as a pakistani-a country that itself is engaged in stifling minority rights and as a canadian -a land STOLEN FROM THE INDIGENOUS–makes it absolutely irrelevant. Visiting jerusalem and praying in Al-aqsa once in your life out of the 73 years of ongoing occupation and oppression doesnt make you an expert. Could you please explain to me how is it that Palestine which was the full state is now nowhere to be seen with only a few areas left for the 2 million palestinians to reside in–that is when they are not being bombed the hell out of. And really when international organisations and real experts opinion differs from yours, you are literally just another zionist supporter—enjoy being on the wrong side of history on this….
I have never read an article that I disliked as much as this. It is full of lies, distortions and carries the flavour of hypocrisy. This women is sick, evil or both. May God help her.
Being a Pakistani I am ashmaed of the author and the distorted truth she has written in the article. If she would still only hold the Pakistani passport she wouldnt be able to visit Al-Aqsa the scared mosque. It would have been better for us all, as it would have saved us from reading such a biased, distorted and full of propagand article.
I do hope in near future we see article from same author correcting her mistakes and writing the truth as it is…Palestinians being oppressed, bombarded and martyred by israel.
Raheel, let’s turn the tables your way and have the natives come into your property and claim that with garbage historical real estate date (as done by force, ethnic cleansing) your current house belongs to them. If you refuse, you’ll be bombarded to the stone age. Deal?
Read the room and perhaps, a newspaper. Shut the telly where Fox News teaches you how to spell propaganda and label everything as anti-Semetic.
Grow some.
At least file this as opinion not “world”. This is not journalism. Someone sitting in the comfort of her own home in Canada is not in a position to cover this conflict based on a few visits to Jerusalem/ Al Aqsa mosque. Also there may be hate spread on both sides — one by the oppressor and the other by the oppressed.
There is only one person who excuses The Bully….. His Mother.