Palestinians furious as Israel escorts Arab delegations to Al-Aqsa
Tension is rising at Al-Aqsa Mosque, where self-appointed Jerusalemite defenders are harassing Gulf Arab visitors who come under Israeli protection.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Conflicts have been erupting at Al-Aqsa Mosque in the city of Jerusalem between Jerusalemite worshipers and some Arab and Islamic delegations visiting the mosque under the protection of the Israeli police. These visits, which are bound to become more frequent in the coming weeks in light of the normalization agreements between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain, have provoked angry public and official Palestinian reactions.
On Oct. 20, an official UAE delegation visited Israel for the first time and signed a set of cooperation agreements. They included a visa waiver between the two countries and an agreement for direct weekly flights.
On Oct. 18, Jerusalemites confronted an Emirati group that had entered Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam’s third holiest site, under the protection of the Israeli police.
A video of the incident went viral. A Jerusalemite was filming as a member of the group approached him to ask about the facilities at the Dome of the Rock The Jerusalemite replied, “Do not talk to me. People like you who normalize are not allowed to talk to us.” He then addressed another member, saying, “Show some respect and get out of here. You are garbage for normalizing,” as the group left the site.
