51 Years Since Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa Was Burned
The Israeli occupation’s attempts to destroy Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa started in 1967, since its occupation, until 1968, when the occupation called for the collection of $100 million from the USA to build Suleiman Haykal next to the Dome of the Rock. The following year the Arabs and Muslims were greatly provoked when the Chief Rabbi invited the Jews to visit Al-Buraq Wall to perform Talmudic rituals commemorating the destruction of the Haykal (on August 9th of each year).
Details of the Crime:
The calls and invitations were preliminary to the crime of burning Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. On August 21st, 1969, an Australian Zionist called Denis Michael Rohan set fire to the pulpit of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. An area of 1,500 m2 was burned from Al-Masjid. The pulpit that was built under the orders of Nur Ad-Din Zinki and passed to Salah Al-Din after liberating Al-Aqsa was entirely burned. Only small fragments survived and were placed at the Islamic Museum. An iron pulpit replaced the original for a temporary period of 38 years.
The fire spread to Omar Masjid, Zakariya’s Mihrab, Maqam Arba’in, 3 corridors, Al-Masjid’s columns and arches, main columns that bear the dome, the ceiling of Al-Masjid – which fell, the windows, colored glass, carpets, and marble.
The second the people of Al-Quds heard the news, Muslims and Christians ran to save Al-Masjid. They used buckets to transport the water after the occupation had banned the Israeli firetrucks from reaching the place and hindered the Arab firetrucks from arriving.
The executor, Rohan, was released after trial because he was found ‘insane’ and thus could not be held accountable for the crime.
Arab and International Positions:
After the fire, the Islamic Supreme Committee addressed the Arabs and the Muslims with a very emotional letter in which it mourned Al-Masjid and urged them to protect Al-Quds from the occupation’s harm.
This dangerous incident was addressed differently by official Arab authorities. There was never an agreement on the mechanisms that should be followed in supporting Al-Quds and Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. King Faisal, for example, called for the ‘holy jihad’ to liberate the land and holy sites, and was supported by the Muslim World League. King Hussein, however, and the Algerian President Houari Boumédiène asked the UN to do what it saw suitable. President Jamal Abdul-Nasser said, “There is no alternate, no hope, no path but the Arab power”. Although the words were powerful, his position was shady. He did not identify the meaning of ‘power’ nor the mechanisms to follow in using it.
The Palestinian Liberation Organization urged the Palestinian people and Arabs to unite with, support and finance the revolution.
Upon these calls, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation was founded a month after the fire. However, the fragility of the Arab and Muslim countries, and the diversity in their ideologies and loyalties led to the absence of real and serious steps taken to defend Al-Quds and Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. The Organization only issued statements of condemnation and disapproval.
The UN Security Council issued Resolution No. 271 (1969) with a majority of 11 votes and abstention of 4, including the USA, in which the Council demanded the Israeli occupation to cancel and stop all measures that would change the conditions of Al-Quds.