Israeli far-right extremism can’t touch the resistance

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On September 26, dozens of Jewish settlers forced their way into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under the protection of Israeli occupation forces, building off prior calls by Jewish extremist groups to push with the raid. Forced disruption to prayers, assault, and open attacks against Palestinians once again lay bare the illegal Israeli occupation’s penchant for pro-settler extremism, and why this ultimately contributes to its own undoing. 

The latest exhibition of far-right extremism on sacred land is not an isolated event. It stands fueled by recent provocations from far-right Knesset member Itamar Ben-Gvir to feed into "Israel’s" extremist ambitions of settler supremacy on Palestinian lands. None of those ambitions stand a chance in the face of a rock-solid resistance, and the same goes for ultranationalist ambitions to somehow occupy the holy site: its destined to backfire.

"Israel" is mistaken to think that it can use terror and aggression as a tactic to create divisions on sacred land. Look to Palestine’s decades-old resistance: it is in itself a proof point that illegal Jewish settlements will always remain on the margins, explaining why the occupation is so desperate to command what it simply couldn’t for years. Party members, Israeli settler groups and far-right lobbyists harboring such hopes will thus face the verdict of history, which includes an enduring consensus that disallows prayer alteration at the site. Add to it the admirable courage of Palestinians, and we understand that far-right Jewish plans to take over the site have been thwarted more times than one can count.

Make no mistake: continued Israeli aggression at Al-Aqsa will be accounted in full. It is an exercise in futility to advance extremist incursions into the compound, when history is rich with instances that suggest Palestinians’ principled resistance has dealt a blow to the Israeli led occupation designs. As such, "Israel" is on course to attract even more formidable opposition to its illegal occupation, as well as its racist ambitions to do away with Muslim structures in the Al-Aqsa compound. “The storming of the Al-Aqsa mosque by the occupation forces and its settlers comes within the framework of the Israeli escalation against our people, their land and their holy sites,” said the spokesperson for the Palestinian Authority, warning that the “continuation of these practices will lead to an explosion of the situation.”

"Israel’s" fractured, anti-Palestinian ideology of encroaching upon their freedoms – including worship – cannot assume strength to stay course. A closer look at Jewish extremists groups suggests intense desperation on their part to orchestrate Israeli ownership over the holy land. The resulting push to storm the compound, under occupation cover, is a further sign of weakness. In stark contrast, Palestinians are all strength. First, there is no sign of hesitancy on their stated redline vis-à-vis Al-Aqsa and illegally occupied territories. Second, the response to far-right Jewish incursions has been to swiftly mobilize gatherings and stationing across territories. This is reflective of past successes in defending the site, sending an astounding message on priorities to illegal settlers that they are staring at an iron wall of defiance. 

Ben-Gvir and his far-right sympathizers can tout all they want: more force, more terror, blatant intimidation, and even planned aggression during worship. It will not pay off. After all, Al-Aqsa mosque remains the prime symbol of Palestinian nationhood. As such, pro-settler extremism from the likes of the so-called Temple Mount movement will contribute to their own undoing. It shows in Israeli backed attempts to shift the religious status-quo around the compound, and is confirmed by the fact that there is zero credibility to those designs on sovereign Palestinian soil.

The silence of Western powers amid Israeli support for settler violence, religious extremism and aggression is deafening. European powers, for instance, prefer to go all-in on so-called rights abuses in countries with a different regime system from its own. But its loud claims about defending democracy, freedom, self-determination and human rights fade into oblivion when the moment demands standing up to the Israeli occupation and its wealth of state-sponsored terrorism. As seen in recent weeks, brave reporting, social media activism, and many attempts to put settler activity under the spotlight, have made it increasingly difficult for far-right Israeli extremists to storm into the compound, regardless of the West looking the other way. 

Gvir and "Israel’s" network of ultranationalist lobbyists may wish to use incursions as a tool to extract election mileage from the Israeli right. There have already been signs of securing votes on the back of provocations in the compound, as favoritism and duplicity dominate the occupying state’s election build-up. 

But an even stronger resolve to step up and coordinate Palestinian resistance suggests time-tested determination will ultimately cut through "Israel’s" terrorizing tactics. That is vital for ensuring that the costs of pro-settler aggression in and around Al-Aqsa is borne by the occupation that promotes it. 

The hard truth is that "Israel’s" embrace of November elections may keep far-right groups focused on ways to build on pro-settler extremism, chiefly around the compound. But it is increasingly clear that attempts to undermine the strength, stakes, and legitimacy of the Palestinian people’s land and holy sites won’t hold up.