The guests of the program "Beyond the News" agreed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working - through his recent moves and his government - to turn the conflict in Jerusalem into a demographic war with a religious dimension, after the occupation controlled about 87% of the area of Jerusalem.
Speaking to the program's episode (2023/5/21), Khalil al-Tafakji, an expert in settlement affairs, said that the battle that Netanyahu announced will continue in Jerusalem – during his last cabinet meeting – is a demographic battle par excellence, because the geographical battle ended with the occupation controlling 87% of Jerusalem's area.
This comes against the backdrop of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statement that "the battle to unify Jerusalem is still ongoing, which necessitates the continuation of his government in its current composition," during a meeting held by the Israeli government in a tunnel under the Western Wall at Al-Aqsa Mosque, during which it approved the addition of about $ 17 million to the budget for digging tunnels under the Western Wall and the Old City.
It also plans to ratify a series of resolutions and projects aimed at encouraging young Jews to move to Jerusalem. This came after Israeli National Defense Minister Itamar Ben Gvir participated in a settler raid on the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, which was met with a wave of Palestinian, Arab and Islamic condemnation.
Expulsion of Palestinians
Speaking to the "Beyond the News" program, Al-Tafakji adds that the battle Netanyahu wants to fight in Jerusalem means the expulsion of its Palestinian residents and the replacement of Israelis in their place, and he confirms through his speeches and movements that this process is religious par excellence, in an effort to win the battle in this way.
The expert in settlement affairs believes that transforming the conflict from being an occupation conflict between an occupier and a usurper of his land to a religious battle is not in the interest of the Palestinians, pointing out at the same time that Israel's policy is based on the process of merging East and West Jerusalem, as reflected in the increase in tunnels and settlements.
Israeli affairs expert Wadih Awawdeh believes that Netanyahu seeks to work to consolidate the occupation of Jerusalem and bring together the two parts of the city, an approach he has followed since the first government he headed, stressing that his latest message reflects the strategic directions of his government.
He considered in his speech to the episode "Beyond the News" that the timing has "an internal message, there are those within the government who threaten not to approve the budget during the vote after two days, which means the fall of the government, and therefore Netanyahu was keen to point out the need for the government to remain in its current composition.
No real deterrent
In this context, he pointed out that Israel has not been subjected to real action that deters it from continuing to violate international law and UN resolutions, in light of the shabby Arab and Islamic reality, which encourages Netanyahu to continue this approach.
David Bolger, a strategist in the US Democratic Party and former US national security adviser, said US President Joe Biden is busy at the Group of Seven meeting, but is watching what is happening in the Middle East.
Speaking behind the news with the two guests of the program, he agreed that Netanyahu is working to provoke tension and anger by talking about "liberating Jerusalem", which he sees as exclusive to the Israelis without any Palestinian presence, which will provoke a reaction from the Palestinians, which is frustrating, as he put it.
Bolger also shared the view that the Israeli government is fighting a demographic war, noting that Netanyahu has made clear for years that he is working on building new settlements to achieve this goal.