55 years since the crime of burning Al-Aqsa Mosque

Today, 21 August, 2024, is the 55th anniversary of the crime of burning Al Aqsa Mosque by an extremist Zionist person.

On August 21, 1969, the Zionist terrorist Dennis Michael Rohan stormed into Al-Aqsa Mosque from the direction of Bab Al-Ghawanmeh in coordination with the Israeli occupation authorities and set fire to the Al-Qibli prayer hall, causing a huge fire that devoured its furniture, walls, ceiling, carpets, rare decorations, and all its contents of the Qur’an books in one of the occupation’s continuous attempts to destroy one of the most important religious and historical landmarks that confirm the depth and roots of the Arab Islamic presence in the occupied city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and the Palestinian territories.

The fire, which continued to burn from around 7 am until the afternoon of that day, destroyed 1,500 square meters of the Qibli prayer hall, which represents more than a third of its area of ​​4,400 square meters, and its historic Minbar (pulpit), known as the Minbar of Saladin, and caused enormous damage to the mosque and three of the seven corridors extending from south to north, including the columns, arches and decorations. Part of the mosque’s ceiling, stone columns, 74 wooden windows and stained glass also fell, and they required years to be restored and decorated again.

When a fire broke out in the Al-Aqsa compound in 1969, it was the responsibility of the occupying forces to protect the Mosque and its surroundings. However, they cut off the water supply to the area and intentionally delayed the arrival of fire trucks from the occupying municipality in Al-Quds (Jerusalem), thereby hindering efforts to extinguish the fire. Initially, it was claimed that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. However, Arab engineers later provided evidence indicating that an individual deliberately started the fire. This individual was identified as Dennis Michael Rohan, a young Australian. It was promised that he would be brought to trial for his actions. However, he was subsequently declared mentally unstable and released.

The angry response of Muslims led to the establishment of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the organizations of joint Islamic action.

The crime was widely rejected by Arab and international circles, but the occupation, which provided protection to the terrorist “Rohan” to commit the crime, as usual, evaded responsibility for it by claiming that he was mentally ill and deported him to Australia without any accountability for what he had committed, and refused to open an investigation into the circumstances of the crime.

On September 15, 1969, the UN Security Council met and issued Resolution 271 with a majority of 11 votes and four abstentions, including the United States. The resolution condemned “Israel” and held it responsible for the fire as the occupying power, and called on it to cancel all measures that would change the status of Al-Quds (Jerusalem).

the years that followed proved that the actions carried out by this criminal have been part of a deliberate and systematic process aimed at Judaizing the area, which has unfolded through various significant stages. One such stage was the storming of the Mosque by former Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, an event that not only ignited the second Palestinian Intifada but also emboldened an increased influx of intruders. As time went on, these attacks became more audacious, with the intruders openly engaging in Jewish religious practices to the present day.

The continuous aggression against Al-Aqsa Mosque by the Israeli occupation officials, including the Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and settlers is an extension of the crime of burning it 55 years ago, which was committed by the Zionist extremist Michael Dennis Rohan, on August 21, 1969, with the facilitation and protection of the occupation authorities.

The occupation’s attacks on the mosque have escalated during the war of genocide it has been waging on the Strip since October 7th, as the occupation forces are deployed in hundreds at the gates of the mosque and in the Old City of Al-Quds to secure settlers’ incursions, while the occupation imposes strict restrictions on Palestinians’ entry into the mosque, allows only a small number of them to do so, most of whom are over 50 years old and expels dozens of those stationed in the mosque from it and from the city of Al-Quds.

While the occupation continues to violate international legitimacy resolutions, including the resolutions of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which emphasize the necessity of preserving the historical and legal status quo of Al-Quds (Jerusalem), the Palestinians continue to affirm that they will not allow any of the occupation’s criminal plans towards Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa Mosque to pass, and that the process of confronting the occupation’s measures and attacks will continue until the liberation of the land and holy sites and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds as its capital.

Fundamentally, Zionism is a racist movement and a form of racial discrimination as defined by the United Nations. As long as its ideology and efforts persist in the region, peace will remain elusive and Al-Aqsa Mosque will continue to be targeted.

Raghda Sawas