Ramadan, war in Gaza, and al-Aqsa Mosque—the feared triangle of the security establishment—could rapidly escalate tensions in other arenas as well. The political leadership’s decision to restrict access to al-Aqsa among Palestinian and Arab-Israeli worshippers, according to criteria that have not yet been determined, presents a complex story and ensnares Israel in a cognitive trap.
Denying Muslims access to the Temple Mount could lead Israeli Arabs to find a common front with extremist elements, intent on inflaming the region. At the same time, even if Palestinians and Israeli Arabs are allowed to enter the Temple Mount, Israel must maintain its grip on the area, partly because the Temple Mount overlooks the Western Wall Plaza and poses a security threat. Hamas knows this very well and takes advantage of it to create a “cognitive trap.” It does so every year by urging worshipers to barricade themselves in the mosque overnight, forcing the security forces to break in and remove them—this orchestrated event generates damaging visuals that are disseminated around the world, harming Israel’s image and fueling further unrest.
This current scenario, likely to incite unrest regardless of any policy implemented, requires the mobilization of the leaders of Arab society to provide a balanced leadership throughout Ramadan. Their goal should be to minimize cognitive damage, which otherwise could result in heavy costs on the ground.
Ramadan, war in Gaza, and al-Aqsa Mosque—the feared triangle of the security establishment—could rapidly escalate tensions in other arenas as well. The political leadership’s decision to restrict access to al-Aqsa among Palestinian and Arab-Israeli worshippers, according to criteria that have not yet been determined, presents a complex story and ensnares Israel in a cognitive trap.
Denying Muslims access to the Temple Mount could lead Israeli Arabs to find a common front with extremist elements, intent on inflaming the region. At the same time, even if Palestinians and Israeli Arabs are allowed to enter the Temple Mount, Israel must maintain its grip on the area, partly because the Temple Mount overlooks the Western Wall Plaza and poses a security threat. Hamas knows this very well and takes advantage of it to create a “cognitive trap.” It does so every year by urging worshipers to barricade themselves in the mosque overnight, forcing the security forces to break in and remove them—this orchestrated event generates damaging visuals that are disseminated around the world, harming Israel’s image and fueling further unrest.
This current scenario, likely to incite unrest regardless of any policy implemented, requires the mobilization of the leaders of Arab society to provide a balanced leadership throughout Ramadan. Their goal should be to minimize cognitive damage, which otherwise could result in heavy costs on the ground.