Ma'an is not affiliated with any terror organization. Yet even that news outlet is saying that there is no reasonable alternative to attacking Israeli Jews next Sunday with rockets, terrorism or both.
Last year's Jerusalem Day was marked with Hamas rockets towards Jerusalem - endangering the very holy places that Muslims claim are so important to them. To Palestinians, the war was a net positive because it showed that they could still affect Israel and stop Jews from celebrating the reunification of Jerusalem.
They don't look at a war that killed hundreds and that destroyed part of Gaza as a loss - to them, it was a victory, and Hamas rode a wave of popularity for months afterwards, as it took on the mantle of "defender of Al Quds and Al Aqsa."
All the Palestinians need is an excuse to repeat their purported victory. And they are collecting them.
1.) The march itself, which is an unacceptable provocation to the feelings of millions of Muslims.
2.) A court decision, not being enforced by Israeli police, allowing Jews to pray aloud on the Temple Mount.
3.) Jews continuing to visit and silently pray at the holy site, as they have done for years now.
4.) "Price tag" attacks by far right settlers, even though they are denounced by almost all Jews.
5.) Naftali Bennett not even mentioning Palestinians at his UN speech last September, which they find disrespectful.
6.) Israel rooting out terror cells in Jenin.
7.) The death of Shireen Abu Akleh.
8.) Israeli police attacking people trying to take her body on a different route at her funeral.
9.) The US taking Kahana Chai off the list of terrorist organizations.
None of these are remotely a reason to start attacking Jewish civilians. But in the Palestinian honor/shame system, not attacking Jews is being framed as unacceptable and shameful.
The editorial ends with not a threat but a virtual promise:
The statement of the Palestinian Authority and the statement of the Kingdom of Jordan to hold the occupation responsible for the upcoming religious war represents more than a warning of what will happen.The question is no longer if a new battle will take place next Sunday. Rather, the more accurate question: What is the miracle that can prevent the occurrence of such a battle?
Palestinians are being primed in all their media for a war.
Israel needs to plan accordingly. And it should say, in no uncertain terms, that while the accusations against Israel are false and exaggerated, anyone who starts a war on May 29 will not be pleased with the outcome.
And it needs to publicize and translate the threats today, not next week.
