Jerusalem affairs researcher Ziad Ibhais warned today, Monday, of “the danger of allowing the Jews to storm the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and commemorate the so-called (Feast of Lights).”

Ibhais confirmed, in press statements, that “the evening celebrations held by the settlers in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque will be more dangerous than the incursions.”

He explained that during these celebrations, the Temple groups hold night dances at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and light the menorah every night, with repeated attempts to bring it into the mosque, attempts that have continued since 2017.

He pointed out that “the Festival of Lights” is one of the holidays that was added to Judaism through historical experience, and not one of the authentic biblical holidays, “and it celebrates a miracle that subsequent books claim occurred with Judah the Hasmonean (Judah Maccabee) after he defeated the Seleucids and re-established (the Second Temple). ) allegedly after (the Maccabean Revolt).

He added that this holiday acquires a national dimension as it commemorates the victory of the “Jewish community” over their enemies, and it is also directly linked to “Al-Aqsa”, as it recalls “the inauguration of the Second Temple,” and thus evokes illusions of “the inauguration of the Third Temple” on the ruins of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

He continued, “The Jews, in commemoration of this alleged miracle, light a novena menorah, and new candles are lit in the menorah every night of the eight nights of the holiday, while the middle ninth candle is in the middle as the (auxiliary candle) or (spark plug) that is used to ignite the rest.”

Ibhais added, “There are several goals in these measures taken by the occupation and the settlers towards Al-Aqsa Mosque, the most important of which is the replacement goal, by removing Al-Aqsa from existence in its entirety, and replacing the temple in its place, and this replacement vision is the consensus of the Zionist right.”

Stressing that “what is happening these days is a season to evoke the Jewish presence in Al-Aqsa during the winter months, during which the major Jewish holidays are interrupted for approximately six months, and this is the secret to escalating its status and increasing the interest of extremist Temple groups in it.”

He noted that “Jewish groups compensate for bringing the menorah into Al-Aqsa by lighting individual candles in it in the morning during times of raids, while performing other biblical rituals such as epic prostration and raising the Zionist flag, as it is a holiday that extremist temple groups associate with the idea of sovereignty over Al-Aqsa.”

He explained that the Hebrew “Festival of Lights” intersects this year with the Western Christian Christmas, and “the occupation authorities usually resort to focusing on the idea of the common Jewish-Christian heritage on such occasions.”

He pointed out that the occupation government “does not implement this on the ground, but rather restricts Christians in their celebrations due to Jewish holidays, to emphasize that the alleged (Jewish identity) in the city transcends all considerations, which makes the occupation’s actions completely contradict its claims.”

Extremist Jewish groups, led by extremist Itamar Ben Gvir, intensified calls to storm the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque during the days of the so-called “Feast of Lights/Hanukkah,” which began yesterday, Sunday, and continues for eight days until the 26th of this December.

It is noteworthy that the occupation government takes advantage of the Jewish holidays to escalate in the city of Jerusalem, by justifying the incursions, closing the entrances to the Holy City, isolating it from its surroundings, turning it into a military barracks, preventing the entry of Palestinians into it, suppressing and attacking worshipers and stationed people, and providing full protection to the settlers.