Afifa Thabet
“Palestinian women have taken it upon themselves to protect the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound from the trespasses of Israeli extremists,” Daoud Kuttab wrote, a Palestine journalist.
“With our souls and blood we shall release ya Aqsa.” With these words the Palestinian women commence their resistance against the judaization of the city of Jerusalem (or as it is called in Arabic: Al Quds). More specifically, against the Zionistic political and military aggression towards the Islamic holy sites, such as the Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.
This campaign was immediately turned into practice after the June War in 1967. In theory, the idea was created even before 1948, the year in which the Jewish state was declared independent. The Jewish colonists, the Zionistic border police and military have been making life in Palistina (Jerusalem especially) far from easy for the average Palestinian.
Since a few years, the Zionistic state has allowed the Jewish colonists, police, and military to siege the Aqsa Mosque, assault the praying Palestinians, and damage the mosque. That place is, to their view, the original location of the Temple Mount that has to be reconqueren from the Muslims. According to Jewish tradition, king and prophet Salomon would have built his temple on the same place where the Aqsa Mosque stands today. The temple was later destroyed by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia.
The “Judaization” process destroys the Arabic-islamic face of Jerusalem
To Muslims, the Aqsa Mosque has a very special and important place in Islam. Not only is it the third holy place after the Blessed Mosque in Mecca and the Masjid An-Nabawi Mosque in Medina, it is also where the Prophet Muhammad began his Night Journey and where he prayed together with every other prophet (in Arabic: Laylat al Israa wal Miraaj).
The Zionists and the Jewish colonists are unable to accept that. Since the city’s annexation, the zionists have started changing the Arabic-islamic names to Hebrew names. To clarify with an example: what used to be known in Arabic as “Ha’it Al-Buraq” (the Wall of Buraq), was suddenly replaced by “HaKotel HaMa’aravi” (the Wailing Wall). According to Islamic tradition, Buraq was the animal that brought the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Jerusalem and Heaven in one night. He tied this heavenly creature to a ring in the Wall.
To support their hatred towards everything which is Arabic or Islamic, the Zionists try everything in their power to annex the entire city, the Arabic part included. Firstly, the Zionistic State allowed more and more excavations to get rid of the city’s Arabic Islamic identity. Secondly, the Aqsa Mosque has been under attack for several years by extremist Jewish colonists controlled by the Zionistic police and military. The goal of the Zionistic state is simple: nothing can remain Islamic, Arabic or Palestinian. Everything must be “judaified” in order to please two different groups: both the secular and the non-secular Jews and Zionists, leaving the Palestinians in the dark. To avoid misconception: the Zionistic annexation policy affects both Muslim and Christian Palestinians.
Palestinians take their responsibility to protect their city
Now to return to our story: the Aqsa mosque is the only holy place in Jerusalem which suffers most under the judaization process and the daily assaults. Neither the Palestinian authorities, nor a single resistance movement or organization is able to stop the process. Even on international level, no attention is given to several cries for help from the Palestininian Islamic theologists and the committees that help preserve Jerusalem’s Islamic shrines. As there is no support, the Palestinians have started their own initiative to help protect their city on their own. On top of their list is the defence and protection of Al-Aqsa for as long as they live. Both parents and children, men and women take their responsibility seriously.
The Palestinian women especially play an important role. They call themselves the “Murabitat”, which roughly translates into “they who will fight persistently for Islam and for the protection of the Islamic shrines”. These women do not own tanks, firearms, fighter jets, warheads or anything similar. They get their strength from their Islamic religion, their patience and their Islamic Arabic and Palestinian pride. These women have the incredible willpower required to continue fighting their occupiers. Fear for armed Jewish colonists or military is unknown to them. Capture them, humiliate, strike, torture or kidnap them, they will keep fighting in their way and try to wake up the world by revealing the Zionists’ excessive anger and violence. They have left their houses and have moved to the Aqsa Mosque with their families to protect the site and to prevent any further judaification. They don’t do this for fame and do not expect thanks from anyone. For all they want is the world to focus on their situation (with all the dangers they risk suffering from). They want the rest of the world (especially the Muslim community) to assist them. These women are mere mothers, grandmothers, wives, daughters and sisters. They are strong and couragious women. Women to be proud of. Women that deserve all support they need in their fight against the further Zionist occupation of the city.
The Zionistic state tries to blacken their identity by saying the women are paid “by terrorists to cause quarrels and riots”. Nonsense! Those who are familiar with the Zionists’ mental legacy, know that they spread lies. And those who know the Palestinians well know about their courage and bravery throughout history.
