Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, has called for Arab governments to sever ties with Israel in light of the recent storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israeli settlers and officials. This incident, described as a dangerous development, has raised alarms about the potential Judaization of this sacred site. Barghouti emphasized the need for immediate action from Arab and Islamic nations to deter Israeli aggression, particularly under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his extremist cabinet members.
The Islamic Endowments Department has reported that over 2,958 settlers, including Israeli Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, have stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque since Tuesday morning. Barghouti warned that the Israeli occupation aims to impose a temporal and spatial division at Al-Aqsa, reminiscent of past attempts at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron. He urged Arab governments to cancel normalization agreements with Israel and withdraw their ambassadors as a form of pressure against the occupation.
Former US State Department official William Lawrence echoed Barghouti's sentiments, advocating for Arab nations to withdraw their ambassadors from Israel and criticizing the normalization of relations. Both Barghouti and Lawrence believe that Netanyahu's actions are designed to undermine negotiations with Palestinian factions and prolong the conflict in Gaza. They also highlighted that the United States has not taken effective measures to deter Israel despite vocal criticisms.
Barghouti's call for a unified Palestinian leadership and a national struggle program underscores the urgency for collective action among Palestinians and their allies. The ongoing situation at Al-Aqsa Mosque and the broader implications for the Palestinian cause require immediate and decisive responses from both Arab nations and the international community.
