Unlike most of the Western and Arab media, many Muslim voices are unexpectedly pointing to the Palestinians as the source of the current tension on the Temple Mount

As usual, elements in Gaza and elsewhere are trying to exacerbate the situation and use it as an excuse to raise the jaded jihadist alarm of “The Jews are trying to take over the Muslim holy places of Jerusalem!” Only a year ago such tensions developed into a full air war of rockets and bombs along with almost unprecedented rioting on the part of certain elements of Israeli Arab citizenry in Israel proper.

Israel Today As reported here and here, the cauldron of tension on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is simmering near boiling point in recent days. Muslim religious activity is centered on top of the Temple Mount, in and around the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Just below them, thousands of Jews flock to the adjacent retaining Western Wall for Passover prayers. It’s always a recipe for tension. And this year, the ingredients were again in place. Extremists found a way to heat things up.

All this is almost banal, including rock throwing Muslim youths facing off against Israeli police who must practice utmost restraint.

As has been the case during previous riots in Israel’s capital — and during riots this year — these reputable media outlets have opted to ignore the core issue — that of Palestinian incitement, while emphasizing the alleged culpability of Jewish worshipers for the unrest in Jerusalem.

Just horrific! Jewish worshipers in the Old City of Jerusalem brutally assaulted by Palestinians. Hi @USAmbIsrael. Is this what the @StateDept meant by urging “everyone to refrain from actions that further escalate tensions.” Are you seriously drawing a moral equivalence here? pic.twitter.com/8owlqsXAyi

— Arsen Ostrovsky (@Ostrov_A) April 17, 2022

YNET Along with the widespread condemnation of Israel following the clashes on the Temple Mount last Friday, whether of Arab countries or prominent figures in the Arab world, there are also those on social media who harshly – and sometimes venomously – criticize the rioters who hid stones inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Them from him towards the Israeli security forces. The criticism also comes from the Arab world, but surprisingly also from Arab society in Israel.

Particularly harsh criticism was leveled at young people who were seen in videos posted on a football net and dancing in the mosque’s prayer hall while wearing shoes – which is considered a forbidden act as part of the mosque’s rules of purity.

As the Ynet Hebrew news outlet has reported, from Morocco to the UAE and Saudi Arabia, many Muslim voices are unexpectedly pointing to the Palestinians as the source of the current tension.

Palestinians rioted INSIDE Al-Aqsa Mosque, entered the mosque with shoes, women and men together, brought stones & threw stones inside the mosque (& played football inside the mosque). Desecrated the mosque!
Are these Muslim believers? or Palestinians with no regard to faith? pic.twitter.com/sil5M8EVYe

— Joseph the Seer יוסף הרואה (@Joe10616924) April 16, 2022

Social media posts in Arabic have shown the Muslim world pictures of young Palestinians holding rocks inside the Mosque, with shoes on their feet no less. This is anathema to the Muslim custom of everyone who enters a mosque taking off their shoes out of honor. This comes on the heels of viral videos of Muslim youths disrespectfully kicking around a soccer ball inside the Mosque.

The tone of some Muslim cartoons and comments from abroad is mocking of the Palestinian claims and methodology.

At the same time, several brave Israeli Arab Muslim citizens have gone on record in Hebrew and are quoted in the Ynet article voicing spicy criticism against the masked, extremist Muslim youth as only being out to pick a fight, as ruining the chance to quietly engage in their religious prayers in the Mosque, and as causing an uproar in which the Israeli police have almost no choice but to remove everyone.

One said, “There is no need to get into a confrontation with the [Israeli] policemen in the [Al-Aqsa] Mosque. Many come to pray and pass by policemen and do not encounter problems. But unfortunately there are young people who do not like to see calmness in the mosque. And they set the atmosphere on fire and cause conflicts, and we worshipers pay the price. I love Al-Aqsa and do not agree that anyone harm it. But at this time those who harm it are the masked [young Muslim provocateurs].”

An Israeli Muslim from Nazareth added: “We saw masked men getting ready to have a confrontation with the police. The situation was calm, and suddenly violent clashes broke out, and we had to leave the place immediately, after we saw stones and stun grenades, rubber bullets and masked men closing the mosque while we were inside. I refuse to tolerate such acts. The ones creating this atmosphere are bullies whose goal is to create chaos.”

A Moroccan surfer tweeted a picture in which he marked the shoes worn by the rioters inside the mosque and the stones thrown, and wrote: “A man with a Hamas flag and another wearing shoes inside an al-Aqsa mosque near piles of stones and people playing football inside. Was it really corrupted on the pretext of resistance, or are there people who were transplanted to damage the images of Jerusalemites who are struggling to protect the al-Aqsa mosque.