The Politics of Penance: Netanyahu's Holy Land Gambit The storming of the Al Aqsa Mosque compound by Israeli settlers, accompanied by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the Western Wall tunnels, has sparked widespread condemnation from Palestinians and international observers.
Beneath this provocative display lies a more insidious calculation – one that speaks to the crux of Israel's ongoing struggle for legitimacy in East Jerusalem.
As Yom Kippur approaches, Netanyahu is using the holiest day in the Jewish calendar as a prop to bolster his flagging popularity.