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Words Have Consequences: Palestinian Authority Incitement to Violence
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) David Makovsky - There is no justification for any incitement to violence. When you say that Israel wants to undermine the status of the al-Aqsa Mosque or change the status quo on the Temple Mount/al-Haram al-Sharif, it is equivalent to yelling "fire" in a crowded theater, given the role that such allegations have played in provoking past violence. As Secretary of State John Kerry said in an interview with National Public Radio last Friday, "There's no excuse for the violence. No amount of frustration is appropriate to license any violence anywhere at any time. No violence should occur." There needs to be an honest acknowledgment that the Temple Mount/al-Haram al-Sharif is holy to both Muslims and Jews. Israeli leaders of all stripes have asserted the sanctity of the area to Muslims since the time of the Prophet Muhammad in the seventh century. The reverse has not been the case. The Palestinian leadership does not tell its public that the area also has historical significance for the Jewish people. Understanding that both sides have religious rights seems to be a prerequisite for calming the situation. Palestinians must come to grips with the fact that both peoples do not just have political rights but also a religious connection to the land based on their own history. The writer, director of the Middle East Peace Process at the Washington Institute, testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Oct. 22, 2015.