Dr. Abeer Abdelrahman Thabet
Political science and international relations
The Israeli right-wing, with all its levels, is racing against time to Judaize the West Bank, especially Al-Quds and Al-Aghwar. Even though the policy of Al-Quds' Judaization might seem public, the systematic Judaization for Al-Aghwar region does not receive much attention as Al-Quds, particularly Al-Haram Al-Shareef. Israel does not leave any opportunity to consolidate its temporal division, which paves the way for the spatial division; which will inevitably happen once Israel succeeded to consolidate the temporal division it imposed as a daily basis to raid Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa; from 7 AM to 10:30 AM except Fridays and Saturdays.
This temporal division is a blatant violation of the current historical situation of the Islamic and Christian holy places in Al-Quds, which was approved by Israel through the peace agreements signed with the Jordanian kingdom to guarantee the protection of the kingdom's religious sovereignty over those holy places, especially Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa owned by the Muslims. However, the Israeli right-wing party perceives that there is today a useful opportunity to impose a fait accompli in Al-Haram Al-Sharif and Al-Aghwar.
The Israeli occupation government, which is delighted by the ongoing normalization waves, believes that the current timing is the best time for Judaization as Israel is able to handle the vulnerable regional reactions and the international ones that are busy with the Russia-Ukraine crisis and its repercussions. In contrast, the Israeli security capabilities and endeavors will be concentrated on the Palestinians in the historical Palestine; in West Bank, Gaza and the occupied interior, through the "carrots and sticks" policy, as there is a good plan to contain the Palestinian reactions in those three regions.
Benny Gantz is the maestro of this policy, which clearly could contain the Palestinian reactions during, for example, the Al-Naqab Judaization crisis, the security crisis triggered by the individual operations, and the current status of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. Also, the Israeli security system, headed by Gantz, seems as it is walking through a minefield; however, despite of its danger, it could avoid it. Actually, there is no brilliance in Gantz' policy; the secret behind the success of this policy just lies in the manipulation on the contradictions in the Palestinian political arena, not only on the geographical level in West Bank, Gaza and the occupied interior but also on the regional, political and geographical levels, and the users of the "divide and conquer" policy.
While the Israeli police exerts serious efforts to undermine the spread of crimes in the Arab cities in the north, the Zionist organizations Judaize Al-Naqab in the south and besieges the extension of the Arab existence there through campaigns of planting and establishing greenhouses. It also besieges Jenin, yet leaves the rest of the West Bank cities without a blockade. Moreover, it promises Gaza of more economic facilitations and work permits in case it maintained calm; on the other side, it assaults citizens, attack worshippers and beat women in the most blessed days of the year in West Bank.
Eventually, Gantz could maintain a relative calm until now by merging the "carrots and sticks" policy with the "divide and conquer" policy. The clearest example of this is the Palestinians' reactions in Gaza and most of the West Bank cities, which once turned into a ball of flame when Sharon stormed Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa 22 years ago. Hence, today, it has become clear that there are some Palestinian contradictions that the occupation could manipulate; there is no longer a united decision that is able to deter Israel and fail its policies and plans.
At the end, all the Palestinian are responsible for what is happening in Al-Quds, and have to confront Gantz' Judaizational policy against Al-Quds and its holy places.