by Stephen Lendman

Decades of Israeli state terror takes its toll. Blow back follows. In various forms.

Victims enraged about Israeli ruthlessness react with just cause. Whatever ways they can.

Some peacefully. By protesting, marching and/or denouncing repressive treatment publicly.

Others violently. Perhaps out of longstanding pent up frustration. A ticking time bomb ready to explode.

On Wednesday, Israeli police spokeswoman Luba Samri said "(a) commercial vehicle hit and ran over pedestrians at a light rail station."

On the Green Line between West and East Jerusalem. Killing a policeman. Injuring 14 others.

After exiting his vehicle, border police shot alleged attacker Ibrahim Muhammad Daoud al-Akkari to death. No day in court. No due process. No judicial fairness.

No interest in why this happened. Summary judgment only. Death by multiple gunshot wounds.

A criminal act by any standard. Systematic Israeli policy. Arousing greater anger. Making similar incidents more likely.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri called the attack a "natural response" to Israeli crimes in Jerusalem. A city on the edge. Set to explode.

Persecuting Palestinians ruthlessly. Closing Islam's third holiest site. Al-Aqsa Mosque for the first time since 1967. After extremist right-wing rabbi Yehuda Glick was shot. More on him below.

Reopening it only to women and men over 50. Denying entry to most Palestinians.

Murdering Mutaz Hijazi in cold blood. Unjustly accusing him of shooting Glick.

He and deputy Knesset speaker Moshe Feiglin led repeated Israeli settler Al-Aqsa compound incursions.

Provoking violence and incitement against Palestinians. Pursuing Glick's outlandish goal to replace Al-Aqsa with a third Jewish Temple. What Muslims worldwide won't tolerate.

On Wednesday, Hamas took responsibility for al-Akkari's attack. He took "revenge for his people," its statement said. A natural response to Israeli Al-Aqsa violations.

"We congratulate the activity carried out by Jerusalem's blessed heroes that targeted soldiers and security men," Hamas said.

"This was a result of the crimes of the Zionists who continue to attack the worshipers and to violate the Palestinians' holy sites."

"We call on the people of Jerusalem and the West Bank and all of the Palestinians to carry out more of these activities with full force in order to defend al-Aqsa."

Al-Akkari's attack followed Israeli settlers' provocative Wednesday morning Al-Aqsa incursion.

Entering to perform Talmudic rituals. Protected by Israeli police. Cordoning off Muslim worshippers.

Attacking them with tear gas and stun grenades. Injuring at least 20. It bears repeating. At Islam's third holiest site.

Hamas' Izz al-Dinal-Qassam Brigades military wing called Israel attacking Al-Aska "the detonator that will cause a volcano to erupt in (its) face."

Its spokesman Abu Ubaida hailed the "heroes of Jerusalem and Hamas fighters." For defending Al-Aqsa with their souls and blood.

Heightened Jerusalem tensions followed Israel's genocidal Operation Protective Edge. Near daily clashes followed.

Exacerbated by Israeli settlers virtually desecrating Al-Aqsa.

On November 5, Israeli initiated Al-Aqsa compound clashes left dozens of Palestinians injured. Nine or more required hospitalization.

Three Palestinian MKs managed to gain Al-Aqsa entry during clashes. Hanin Zoabi, Talab Abu Arrar and Ibrahim Sarsour got past Israeli security forces.

Al-Aqsa director Sheikh Omar al-Kiswani said Israeli soldiers fired tear gas and stun grenades inside Al-Qabali Mosque within the compound.

A fire erupted inside muezzin's hall where Muslims are called to prayer, al-Kiswani said. Cables and speakers were burned.

Soldiers threw holy books on the floor "deliberately." They detained Tareq al-Hashlamon. An Islamic endowment department employee.

After assaulting him inside Al-Aqsa. Along with Hussam Seder. Another endowment employee. Four Palestinians were arrested. Including a youth.

Jordan recalled its ambassador. Over Israeli instigated Al-Aqsa violence. "Unprecedented Israeli escalation in Jerusalem."

According to Jordanian Information Minister Mohammad Al-Momani, it intends lodging a formal Security Council complaint. It's impossible to ignore what's happening, he said.

On Wednesday, about "200 members of Israel's security forces broke into Al-Aqsa Mosque, chased worshippers, caused damage and broke doors."

"It's impossible to remain silent about this, so therefore we have announced the return of our ambassador in Israel for consultations."

"We are a country that fulfills our obligations, and we will not allow other countries to renege on their obligations."

"We will not agree to have our historic role over the Al-Aqsa Compound compromised. All diplomatic options are available to us, including articles of our peace agreement with Israel."

According to Kuwait's Al-Jarida newspaper, Netanyahu and Abdullah held secret talks last Saturday in Amman. Regarding

Jerusalem violence.

Neither government confirmed it. Reportedly agreeing to increase coordination. Ease tensions.

Prevent provocative Jewish Temple Mount actions. Define new tourist entry site regulations.

A former senior Jordanian official warned of a third Intifada otherwise. Days earlier, King Abdullah promised safeguards for Jerusalem's holy sites.

Jordan will "continue to confront, through all available means, Israeli unilateral policies and measures in Jerusalem and preserve its Muslim and Christian holy sites, until peace is restored to the land of peace," he said.

"The Palestinian cause remains our principal cause and is a higher national interest," he added.

He promised to help "mobilize international support to rebuild Gaza, following the vile Israeli aggression, which killed thousands of our brethren."

Netanyahu nonsensically blamed Jerusalem's November 5 commercial vehicle attack attack on Abbas. A "direct result (of his) incitement," he said.

During a memorial ceremony on the 19th anniversary of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination.

"We are in the midst of a struggle for Jerusalem, and I have no doubt that we will triumph," Netanyahu said.

"We are deploying all the forces that we can. It could be a prolonged struggle, and we need to unite the entire nation behind it."

Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon mimicked Netanyahu's remarks, saying:

"Abu Mazen's (Abbas) rhetorical incitement, in which he disseminates lies and hatred against Israel, while praising Palestinian terrorists who harm Jews, are responsible for the bloodshed in Jerusalem."

He "hasn't changed and will not change…In different parts of the world, he has the image of a moderate, but he does not promote a culture of peace and is not truly interested in living alongside the Jewish state."

Israel's dirty hands bear full responsibility for violence throughout Occupied Palestine. Legitimate Palestinian resistance is called "terrorism."

Ya'alon promised to "defeat" it. "Perpetrators and those who send them. Terror aimed at damaging our sovereignty in Jerusalem and our rights to the city," he claimed.

Likeminded extremist Economy Minister Naftali Bennet called Abbas "the driver of the death car and the terrorists his emissaries."

"Israel needs to say clearly that the Fatah-Hamas government is a terror organization and we need to act accordingly," he added.

Netanyahu's Rabin memorial ceremony address repeated one Big Lie after another. Calling Israel a "(non)violent nation."

Compared to "countries around us…(Where) they behead, slit throats, put people in front of firing squads and the like."

"Israel is an outstanding exception. We are a democracy."

"Not only do we not sink to the low standards of the others, but we are a democracy that conducts dialogue in the middle of the conflict."

"The need to avoid political violence and assassinations will grow as the attacks around us and within us increase."

"The achievement of Israel in maintaining its democracy in the face of attacks such as no other country faces is immense. That is a basis on which we can agree; a basis for unity."

"We have, I hope, a basis for unity in keeping Jerusalem as our eternal capital, and a basis, I hope, in the understanding that security is the foundation of our existence and also the foundation of peace."

Fact: Israel is a lawless, ruthless, racist rogue terror state.

Fact: Exceeding the worst of regional despotic monarchies.

Fact: Waging naked aggression at its discretion.

Fact: Committing the highest of high crimes against peace.

Fact: Mocking democratic values.

Fact: Prohibiting them.

Fact: None whatever exists.

Fact: Palestinians have no rights whatever.

Fact: Arab citizens are treated like fifth column threats.

Fact: Privileged Jews alone benefit.

Fact: Neoliberal harsh targets all others.

Fact: Social justice are four-letter words.

Fact: Police state harshness targets nonbelievers.

Fact: Filling Israel's gulag with thousands of political prisoners.

Fact: The vast majority law-abiding Palestinians.

Fact: Hundreds indefinitely uncharged and untried.

Israel and America partner in each other's crimes. Justifying the unjustifiable.

Risking the unthinkable. Threatening world peace. Blaming their crimes on victims.

Rogue states operate this way. None match US/Israeli ruthlessness.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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