The Murabiteen and Murabitat are groups or individuals from Al-Quds city (Jerusalem) and its surroundings, and [Palestinian] Muslim citizens of the occupied lands in 1948. They devoted themselves and their time to stay at Al Aqsa Mosque to guard its gates and protect it from attacks by “Israeli” soldiers, Jewish extremists and radical settlers. The Murabiteen represent different generations and various political and cultural backgrounds, their illimitable love of al-Aqsa unites them all together; elderly people, young men and women besides the students who memorize and recite the holy Quran and attend the Sharia lessons on al-Aqsa terraces.
The brutality of the Zionists in targeting the murabiteen has been increased because of their growing role of defending al-Aqsa and obstructing the division plans. They were subject to various types of war against them such as the following actions;
- Banning ribat and consider it illegal
On August 23, 2015, the Zionist war minister, Moshe Ya’alon, issued a decision to designate the Murabiteen and Murabitat as an illegal organization based on the recommendation of the ‘Israeli police’ and the ‘General Security Service’. “Considering them as a major factor in creating tension and violence … and undermining the Israeli sovereignty over al-Aqsa Mosque!” This reflects the arrogance of the Israeli occupation and imposing the status quo despite its contrary to the logic. According to the decision, the presence of Muslim worshipers in their mosque is a factor of tension and violence, while storming al-Aqsa Mosque by the soldiers and extremists is not!
- Deporting Murabiteen outside al-Aqsa Mosque
It is a relentless action applied by the Israeli occupation police against the murabiteen and murabitat, which deprives them from their right to enter al-Aqsa and perform worship. The ban was imposed on dozens of them. For example, on August 23, 2015, the ‘Israeli Intelligence’ issued a list of about 20 women (Murabitat) from Jerusalem. The list increased to include 55 names and it was known among the activists as the “Golden List”, which bans all the listed women from their rights to enter al-Aqsa Mosque and pray there. Despite the ban and criminalization of ribat by the occupation, the Murabiteen and Murabitat continued their ribat and their continuous presence at the gates of al-Aqsa.
(For more on the Golden List click here: ‘Golden List’ is a turning point in the history of al-Aqsa Mosque)
- Banning Travelling Convoys to al-Aqsa
The decision to ban Rabat was accompanied by the Zionist occupation’s war against the ‘Travelling Convoys’ (buses carrying the worshipers from the 1948 Palestinian occupied lands to al-Aqsa Mosque). They stopped the buses and prevented them from reaching al-Aqsa Mosque, and threatened the drivers to impose high fines if they transport the worshipers. Their aim is preventing the murabiteen from reaching al-Aqsa mosque.
- Arrest and trial
- Deporting Murabiteen outside Al-Quds city and banning them.
- Banning travel and revocation of residency status.
- Arresting Murabiteen and accusing them of chanting “Allah Akbar” in the face of the radicals Jewish who storm al-Aqsa.
- Summoning Murabiteen for repeated interrogation in a harmful way.
- Arbitrary detention of Murabiteen for days without a charge.
- Verbal and physical assaults against Murabiteen such as; swearing, beating and torturing.
- Holding Murabiteen’s IDs.
- Storming Murabiteen’s houses.
- Preventing medical insurance coverage for Murabiteen and their families.
- Threatening to take Murabiteen’s children and sending them to orphanages.
- Placing Murabiteen under the house arrest.
- Imposing financial penalties on Murabiteen.
