The racist who wanted to throw a pig's head into Al Aqsa mosque
Palestinians believe Israel could have stopped the current wave of anti-Islam provocation by fanatic Jewish elements a long time ago but has failed to do so "because the system in the Jewish state supports such racist phenomena," using the words of a Palestinian official in Ramallah on Sunday.
The official who spoke on condition of anonymity said that Avigdor Eskin, the extreme right-wing activist who planned to throw a pig's head into Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, was involved in open incitement against former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and even expressed joy upon his assassination in November 1985 but was not subjected to any serious governmental punishment. Prior to the assassination, Eskin was believed to be one of those extreme right wing elements in Israel who issued against Rabin a pulsa dinoura, a religious curse allowing the blood of its subject to be spilled for the Jewish cause.
Last month, as Israel commemorated Rabin's assassination, Eskin held a demonstration along with a number of supporters outside the prison where Rabin's assassin, Yigal Amir, is held. He even dealt a blow to one taxi driver who protested the fact that such a demonstration was allowed to take place.
"When someone like this person, who has quite a long record of racism and incitement is allowed to move freely and is not controlled by the police, it is no wonder that he ends up planning not only to throw the pig's head into the Mosque but even to stir a religious war against Islam," the Palestinian official said. Al Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam, after Mecca and Medina.
Eskin was arrested along with Haim Pokovitch more than a week ago and on Friday both were remanded into custody for six days by the Jerusalem magistrate's court. Since their arrest, the Israeli General Security Services (Shin Bet) imposed a blackout on the news of their arrest, saying publication would cause harm to state security and public order. The censorship restrictions were raised on Friday by the court judge. Another suspect involved in the affair is Harel Herschtik, currently on trial for murder of a snake-trapper in Haifa.
All three were believed to be behind another anti-Islam act when one of their followers distributed in Hebron a leaflet showing Prophet Mohammed as a pig reading from the Holy Book of the Quran. They also were involved in laying a pig’s head on the grave of Sheikh Izziddin Al Qassam, near Haifa. Al Qassam, was among the leaders of the Palestinian revolution in the thirties against the British mandate and his name is currently used by the military brigades of the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas.
“The uncovering of this monstrous plan obligates the Israeli government to disarm the settlers,” responded the Palestinian cabinet following the Friday night meeting in Ramallah. Senior officials in Palestine denounced repeatedly “the scheme by Israeli extremists to insult the honor of the Muslim world.” Palestinian officials said that throwing a pig’s head covered in pages from the Koran to such a holy site would have incendiary effects, lead to violence between Muslims and Jews, and deal a final blow to the peace process.
The Palestinian government issued a statement denouncing the act after the report about Eskin and Pokovitch’s arrests was released. It stressed the need for signing a security agreement with Israel, the same agreement that Prime Minister Netanyahu has refused to sign. The agreement, Palestinian officials argue, will ensure the security of Palestinian and Israeli civilians from Israeli and Palestinian extremists. The plan of the two Israeli extremists strengthens the need to sign it.