Anyone following the growing incitement and official indifference towards Yehuda Glick was not surprised at the attack.
The incitement against Jews increased and increased until finally someone took action: Yehuda Glick, an activist for Jewish religious prayer rights on the Temple Mount, was shot last night from point-blank range • To the daily serious Palestinian incitement we must add the actions of certain Israelis as responsible parties for this horrible act, as they helped in "marking" and vilifying people from certain undesirable political sectors • Even more concerning was the fact that this was not the act of an amateur fanatic, but a cold-blooded and calculating professional
I am writing this article in a fit of emotional turmoil. Yehuda Glick was shot at the entrance to the Begin Center after an evening dealing with the Temple Mount. He was called a "right-wing activist" by the press, but anyone who knew his work was aware that Glick's activity focused on one issue: the Temple Mount. If the red lines which a sovereign state must not allow crossed have not been already, this horrible act certainly qualifies.
A man dressed in black came off a motorcycle, like the last of typical underworld assassins, and shot Glick from point blank range. Glick's "crime" was repeated visiting of the Temple Mount, striving to bring as many Jews as possible to visit the holiest site in their heritage. It's called freedom of religion, something with Uri MIsgav in Haaretz couldn't care less about, calling Glick an Israeli right wing nut job (RWNJ).
Although the "background to the shooting is unclear" as well as the identity of the assailants, let me got out on a limb and identify the obvious suspects. For anyone who has followed Glick's struggle, the attack sadly came as no surprise. For years, Glick has been the "star" of Arabic social media networks, especially those of the Palestinians and Hamas, with a red circle surrounding his head. The message could not be less subtle if it put a bullseye instead. The man who wanted to conquer al-Aqsa and the enemy of all Muslims – a redhead who wants to pray – was a marked man.
The escalation from threats to violence is also no surprise, certainly not when you have backing from up on high: our peace partner Abu Mazen had this to say at a Fatah convention 10 days ago: "I call on our sons to protect the al-Aqsa mosque and prevent the entry of settlers to the holy site in any manner." He went on, "They have no right to enter there and defile the place … Jerusalem was and shall remain the eternal capital of Palestine. It is the diamond in the crown and without it there is no Palestinian state." We should note that Abu Mazen does not often speak this way, but precisely because of this, his indirect guilt is even clearer. The inciter-in-chief cut the brakes; all that was needed was another to hit the gas pedal.
Abu Mazen's words should force every Israeli to understand that the Temple Mount is not simply an issue for a few "religious right wing nut jobs" from the fringes of settler communities, as they are portrayed. It is not for nothing that the Dome of the Rock has been plastered on the promotional photos of Fatah and other terrorist groups. This is a flashpoint of national conflict.
When there is no sovereign
Still, the creeping intifada in Jerusalem which we have witnessed in the last few weeks, did not suddenly erupt because of Jewish visits to the mount. And the truth? The "why" doesn't really matter at this point. What matters is that in spite of the increased efforts of the Israeli police, the signs of a systemic failure to enforce sovereignty are apparent.
The fact is that Jews are afraid to walk around in parts of Jerusalem, a city supposedly united under the sovereign control of the State of Israel as its capital. And rather than be contained, the initially small fire is only spreading. The Palestinians see that violence pays. At the same time, rather than demonstrate a sense of justice and morality by standing by its traditional ally, the Boss in the White House clarifies that seven houses legally bought in East Jerusalem are more dangerous to world peace than genocide in Sudan.
Israeli police have avoided Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem for a long time, and now an increasing number of Israelis are speaking of handing over East Jerusalem to the PA. What can we simple citizens say, when Israeli Members of Knesset go to Silwan to encourage Arabs there who back the murder of their brethren for the crime of selling houses to Jews?
The incitement against Glick has been going on for a long time with nary a word from the authorities. This event proves once and for all that we must abandon the elitist position of telling Palestinians what they think instead of listening to what they actually say. When you listen closely, you can feel the poison of hatred and incitement to violence. I heard it myself, when I visited the Mount. It is a primal and pure hatred, well funded by Hamas and Raad Saleh's Islamic Movement – the latter being a movement which everyone threatens to ban, but effectively lets it do whatever it wants.
The Prime Minister announced that "everything" must be done to find the shooter and bring him to justice. But this misses the point: what we need to do for him and everyone else is return sovereignty and law and order to Jerusalem, restoring personal security and quiet. Everything else will follow.
English translation by Avi Woolf.
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Sad to admit it, he was asking for it.
he is from the same stream that marked Rabin, 1995-portraying him, as a Nazi officer, Bibi was on the balcony at Zion Square, J M that night, not a word about that. This is known as karma, blowback, getting involved with dangerous stuff. A small group of nutters can throw the entire region in an upheaval, no one dares to speak up! I hope he recovers, so no group can boast for being successful!