The Palestinian Uprising

By Sarah Ann Haves

Despite attempts by Israeli officials to stop incitement and violence, which began on the Temple Mount during Israel’s biblical Fall Feasts, the Palestinians have expanded their attacks. In what is now being reported as a Third Intifada (Palestinian Uprising) against Israel, Israeli Arabs are using guns, knives, firebombs, rocks, stones, and Molotov Cocktails to try and kill as many Jews as possible throughout the land.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has incited his people, especially young Palestinian teenagers, to take up their weapons of choice (usually rocks and knives) and use them against Israeli Jewish citizens, especially in Jerusalem and its surroundings. It has effectively put fear in the hearts of Israelis who are anxious about letting their children ride on school buses or play in neighborhood parks. No one knows when and where the next terror strike will be.

Day and night incidents of violence are being reported: firebombs and rocks thrown at moving vehicles; innocent bystanders stabbed at bus stops; terrorists attacking soldiers at check-points and bus stations; citizens confronted by terrorists on the streets, even in front of a synagogue. Israel has sent in massive police forces and border guards to patrol major areas of conflict. It has put up barriers to separate Arab neighborhoods from Jewish ones. Yet, the violence, though simmering, continues.

Abbas has convinced members of the international media, as well as diplomats, that Israel is the one who initiated the recent violence. He started his lies when first trying to change the status quo on the Temple Mount. Pressing Israel to not allow any Jews or Christians up on the Mount, he employed thugs and gangs to harass visitors. He told the Israeli government to stay away from “our” Islamic and Christian holy sites.

Now, Abbas is trying to gain international approval for the entire Temple Mount to be seen as a Muslim protected holy site, including the Western Wall of the Second Temple. Abbas wants all of east Jerusalem to be controlled by the Muslims, to reach his goal of declaring the Old City to be the capital of a Palestinian State. His actions are becoming more and more accepted by the international community, especially by those who do not know or care about Jewish biblical history.

Recently, challenging Israel’s sovereignty, Abbas brought his case to UNESCO, the United Nations cultural heritage agency. He was able to use the organization to condemn “Israeli aggression” on the Temple Mount. Abbas hoped to get a majority of nations that belong to this UN organization to declare the Western Wall to be the Buraq Plaza, an integral part of the al-Aksa Mosque/al-Haram al-Sharif. He was not successful in his bid.

However, the UNESCO resolution that did pass included a Muslim reference to the Mugrabi Gate, a ramp that Israel built over the women’s section at the Western Wall in order to help the flow of visitors to the Temple Mount. Abbas was successful in convincing the nations to declare that this ramp is an integral part of the Al-Aksa Mosque. The UNESCO resolution also stated that the Jewish holy sites of the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, as well as Rachel’s Tomb, are an “integral part of Palestine”. This contributes to his plan to re-write history. In the UNESCO resolution, the Temple Mount was referred to only by its Arabic name, deleting any Jewish historical connection to Judaism’s most holy site.

Though Jews are not allowed to pray on the Temple Mount according to Israel’s decision to uphold the “status quo”, they have been allowed permission to visit the site. This includes an international provision under the 1949 Armistice Agreement, which Israel began implementing after it gained control of the Old City following the Six Day War in 1967.

Abbas has now forced the hand of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his recent accusations that Israel was planning changes on the Mount. Through pressure from the United States, Netanyahu has had to declare that Israel will maintain exclusive Muslim prayer rights on the Mount. Abbas would like to turn this declaration into an international law as a way of de-legitimizing Israeli sovereignty over the site. Already, the Palestinians are spinning lies that Israel has no moral or legal authority to control the Temple Mount area.

Meanwhile, terror continues throughout Israel. There were some terror cells discovered during an Israeli crackdown on this current wave of violence, but most of the Arabs carrying out the attacks are “lone wolves”.  They are being motivated by Abbas and other Palestinian leaders who have encouraged them through social media to carry on with the Uprising.

Israel’s new Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, recently displayed a drawing he found on the Internet that explains to Palestinians “How to stab a Jew.” Concerned Israeli citizens are taking classes on self-defense to thwart any attacks against them.

Israel is now being spoken of, over and over again in the media and diplomatic circles, as an “occupying power.” Abbas is determined to gain international recognition for his ploy – that is, to limit international recognition of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish People whose capital is Jerusalem. He is attacking the heart of the Jewish People who see Israel as their homeland, and Jerusalem as their holy city.

Israeli officials declare that only Israel can protect the places that are holy to all religions. But, as the violence continues, the nations have considered establishing an international force (through the persuasion of France) to uphold the “status quo” on the Temple Mount. While the French proposal in the UN has not succeeded thus far, Paris wants to be a player in the Middle East. France is, indeed, playing into the hands of the Palestinians and their ploy to wrest Israel’s control over the Old City, by causing instability through violence.

Right now, the main focus of the Israeli government is to stop terrorism and restore safety and security to its citizens. But, along with the quiet, Israeli leaders need a strategy to show the world strength, determination, unity and proven biblical sovereignty over the nation state of the Jewish People and its capital city, Jerusalem.

“On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure themselves.” Zechariah 12:3 (NIV)

(c) 2015 Messianic Vision all rights reserved. This article is not reproducible except with permisson from Messianic Vision.

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright ©1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Ms. Haves is a news analyst, reporting on political, diplomatic, military and spiritual issues in Israel and the nations.