Thirty years of tension and conflict over a holy place

From Paris to Washington, via Amman, the international community unanimously condemned, on Tuesday, August 13, the prayer held by the Israeli Minister of Internal Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, on the Esplanade of the Mosques in East Jerusalem. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced a ” escalation “ and some “provocations”evoking “illegal incursions (…) to prepare the imposition of total Israeli control and Judaization” places “in violation of international law”.

This event raises fears of an increase in tensions between Israelis and Palestinians. The Esplanade of the Mosques has indeed been the scene of numerous clashes since the establishment in 1967 of the status quo which charges Israel with the security of this holy place and the Jordanian religious foundation waqf of his administration.

► September 1996: the tunnel of discord

The digging of a tunnel along the Esplanade of the Mosques to connect the Wailing Wall to the Via Dolorosa caused great tensions in September 1996. Adnan Husseini, the director of the waqfdenounces an attack on the retaining wall of the mosques on the esplanade and a ” Judaization of the city “.

Hamas calls for resumption of intifada stone against stone ” Fighting took place in the West Bank and Gaza, leaving more than 80 dead in three days.

► September 2000: start of the second intifada

On Thursday, September 28, 2000, Ariel Sharon, then leader of the right-wing nationalist opposition in Israel, visited the Esplanade of the Mosques. His visit was seen as a provocation. The next day, after Friday prayers, demonstrators threw stones at Israeli police officers stationed outside the esplanade. The latter entered the sacred compound and opened fire, killing seven Palestinians. Riots subsequently broke out in the occupied territories.

These events marked the beginning of the second intifada, which would last until 2005 and cause the deaths of 3,057 Palestinians and 1,062 Israelis.

► July 2017: security gates

The assassination of two police officers on July 14, 2017, by three Israeli Arabs coming from the Esplanade of the Mosques prompted the Israeli authorities to install metal detectors at several entrance gates to the holy site.

THE waqf then calls on the faithful not to submit to the controls and to pray outside. Clashes leave five dead, Palestinians and three Israelis stabbed to death in a settlement. Israel finally decides to remove the gates after calls for calm from the international community.

► May 2021: an eleven-day war

Against a backdrop of tensions following multiple incidents and the possible eviction of Palestinian families in an East Jerusalem neighborhood, clashes broke out on the Esplanade of the Mosques in 2021. On May 10, Hamas threatened military escalation if Israeli police did not withdraw from the area.

The Palestinian movement subsequently sent rockets towards Israel. This “eleven day war”as it was called, ended with a ceasefire signed on May 21.

Itamar Ben Gvir, then a member of parliament, is also accused of playing a role. The person who is responsible for this Intifada is Itamar Ben Gvir “, denounces the head of the police in Israel, Kobi Shabtai. The latter had set up a parliamentary office in East Jerusalem.