This is a Palestinian protest near the Ofer prison in the West Bank. Ofer is an Israeli military prison that warehouses Palestinian political protesters. There are no criminals in the gulag. Built for 800 political prisoners, it houses over 1,100, including children, & is notorious for torture & abuse of Palestinian internees. It is of course the site of frequent Palestinian protests.
This protest last week was after a march in defense of al-Aqsa mosque & the Noble Sanctuary in East Jerusalem, illegally occupied by Israel since 1967 & now under military siege to destroy the mosque which has stood there since 705 CE–1,310 years. It’s a monumental religious site which belies Israel’s historic & religious claims to Palestine.
The Guardian-UK caption to this photo included this non sequitur: “Three days of clashes between Israeli police & Muslim protesters rocked Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound this week as Jews celebrated their new year.” What the hell does the Jewish new year have to do with the military siege of al-Aqsa? Zilch! But it has everything to do with the Israeli campaign to destroy the mosque so a synagogue can be built there. It’s a centerpiece of myth-making to create a history for an invented people who came from all over Kingdom Come with different cultures & traditions & need to forge a national identity.
Defend the al-Aqsa mosque & Palestinian religious freedom by building the economic, cultural, & academic boycott (BDS) of apartheid Israel & demand no aid of any kind to Israeli military aggression.
(Photo by Abbas Momani/AFP/Getty Images)