Ben Gvir's Incursion into Al-Aqsa: New Realities under Extremist Government 

Jan 04, 2023 10:14 am

Itmar Gen Gvir, Minister of the Israeli occupation's National Security and one of the extreme leaders, stormed Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa yards yesterday, Tuesday, accompanied by dozens of colonial settlers -guarded by the Israeli occupation police. The incursion was carried out after the approval of Shabak as well as after a fake media maneuver during which the Israeli occupation government and Ben Gvir announced the delay of the incursion into next weeks. However, it suddenly occurred just after a couple of hours. 

Groups of colonial settlers penetrated into Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa from Al-Maghareba gate in the early hours of Tuesday's morning, leading the incursion to pass with no reactions or confrontations. Yet, the incursion was not empty of the settlers' provocations as they performed Talmudic rituals, blew the trumpet, and took pictures of the Al-Masjid before leaving it. 

On the Palestinian side, the Palestinian factions have called for the escalation of confrontation with the Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Al-Quds in defense of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa as well as called for the stop of security coordination between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli occupation. Thus, the anti-incursion official standings followed each other, starting with Mohammed Shtayyeh; Palestinian Prime Minister, Rawhi Fattouh; Former President of the Palestinian National Authority, and Nabil Abu Rudeineh; spokesman of the PA, in addition to the Ministry of Al-Quds' Affairs, all of which described the break-in as provoking the Palestinians' feelings and that the continuation of such violations would lead the situations to explode.  

Internationally, Egypt and Qatar condemned the break-in and called for self-control. They also confirmed their rejection of any measures that would affect the legal and historical situation of the Holy City. Moreover, the US Ambassador in the Israeli occupation stressed that Biden's administration refuses any acts that would harm the current situation of Al-Quds. 

Analysis and Reading of the Scene:
• The break-in implemented by Itmar Ben Gvir is an extension of the series of racial violations adopted by him along with the current government's officials and leaders of the extreme right-wing. 
• The break-in this time is different as Ben Gvir became the official Minister of the Israeli occupation's National Security. He thus returns the scenario of Ariel Sharon's incursion in 2000. 
• Itmar Ben Gvir seeks to create a personal picture of victory and glory among the religious extremists. 
• The incursion occurs in light of the tense situations in the West Bank and Al-Quds, which witness a state of confrontation with the occupation forces. 

Situation Report: Based on the aforementioned analysis and reading of the scene, the expected scenarios are as follows: 

1. The incursion operations carried out by the Zionist extreme settlers might lead to expanding the circle of confrontations in the West Bank and Al-Quds as well as might expand to include the resistance factions in Gaza. This scenario is supported by the current status of friction and continuation of the Israeli occupation army's operations in the West Bank. 
2. The situations might remain under control with no serious security developments or clashes in response to the break-in. This option was preferred by the Shabak and was supported for the difficult available options and their significance in the current time, as well as the strategy of the Palestinian Resistance based on leaving space open for the West Bank and Al-Quds to grow and develop. 

In general, all scenarios are able to be achieved, with preference to the 1st scenario in a way that leaves a wider space for the escalation of confrontation and the response to the Israeli occupation and its extreme government's violations. 

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