Originally posted on CIF Watch
Though Benjamin Netanyahu, John Kerry and Jordan’s King Abdullah met recently to address the “recent surge of violence in Jerusalem”, the herds of independent minds in the UK media have essentially settled on a narrative to explain the “tension” in the holy city: that demands by some Jews for prayer rights at the Temple Mount incite Palestinians, thus increasing tension and violence.
Whilst even beyond the UK media, most opinion leaders have narrowly focused on what Israeli leaders can do to calm the situation in Jerusalem and prevent an escalation, we here at CiF Watch tend to fancy the progressive notion that Palestinians possess moral agency, and therefore have a role to play in any plan to address rising tensions.
So, inspired by a recent post at a site known for its decidedly unconventional take on the news, here’s our list of ways Palestinians can “ease the tension” in Jerusalem.
1. If you’re a Palestinian driving your car in Jerusalem, resist the urge to slam your vehicle into a crowd of innocent pedestrians merely because they’re likely to be Jewish. The impact of two tons of steel crashing into a human body tends to break bones, rupture organs and cause death for those in the vehicle’s path – thus escalating tensions in Jerusalem.
2. If you’re a Palestinian and happen to be carrying a knife in Jerusalem, resist the urge to stab someone with it merely because he or she is a Jew. Knives tend to damage organs, cause profuse bleeding, and could cause death – thus escalating tensions in Jerusalem.
3. If you’re a Palestinian and happen to be carrying a gun in Jerusalem, resist the urge to shoot a Jew merely because you disagree with his or her political beliefs. Bullets can cause massive hemorrhaging, rupture organs and result in death or serious injury – thus escalating tensions in Jerusalem.
4. If you’re a Palestinian and you hear radical Islamists or even “moderate” Palestinian leaders warn you that the al-Aqsa mosque is in danger, and you must defend the mosque by rioting, attacking Jews or becoming a ‘martyr’, resist this urge. In reality, the mosque is not actually in danger and doesn’t need to be defended. Further, rioting, martyrdom, and spilling Jewish blood all tend to escalate tensions in Jerusalem.
5. More generally, if you’re a Palestinian and get the urge to do something that you think might cause Jews to stop living, don’t do that thing. Again, killing Jews tends to escalate tensions in Jerusalem.
6. Finally, if you’re a Palestinian, consider activities with a low risk of killing Jews, such engaging in the political process, organizing a peaceful protest or participating in interfaith prayers at the Mount.
Trust us on this: activities which tend not to kill Jews are more likely to ease tensions in Jerusalem than activities with a high risk of killing Jews.