Outcomes of 2016… Assemblies of the Temple Increase their Invasions into Al Aqsa Mosque…The Rise of 13 Jerusalemite Martyrs…The Arrest of 2027 people… The demolition of 164 properties

January 1, 2017

Wadi Hilweh Information Center issued its annual report for 2016, releasing the most important events that took place in the city of Jerusalem, especially the Israeli violations against its residents and their properties.

The most prominent violations highlighted by Wadi Hilweh Information Center’s 2016 report are violations against Al-Aqsa Mosque, martyrs in the city of Jerusalem, arrests, settler attacks, settlements, demolitions, the “collective punishment” campaign, deportation from Jerusalem, Violating the right to education, and the suppression of various events and activities in the city.

Wadi Hilweh Information Center detected the raids of 15878 settlers, the banishment of 265 people from Al Aqsa Mosque for varied periods, the rise of 13 Jerusalemite martyrs, the arrest of 2027 people from the city of Jerusalem, including 79 women, 71 seniors, and 754 minors, and the demolition of 164 properties.

The details…

The Holy Aqsa Moque

The occupation authorities continued to violate the sanctity of Al-Aqsa Mosque during the year 2016, by intensifying incursions of settlers to the mosque with the support of the Occupation Forces and the government, in addition to the implementation of arrests and the banishments from the mosque, and storming into the mosque and attacking the people praying in it, all in order to secure these intrusions.

Wadi Hilweh Information Center also detected the storming of 15878 settlers into Al-Aqsa Mosque during the past year, through the Mughrabi Gate, which its keys are controlled by the occupation authorities since the occupation of the city of Jerusalem in 1967. The occupation authorities allow settlers to desecrate Al Aqsa throughout the week except on Fridays and Saturdays, under the guise of “foreign tourism”, this occurs on a two period interval, morning and after (Al Dhuhur) noon prayer, guarded by Israeli Special Forces and members of the police.

The Information Center explained that the most months of incursions were as follows: the month of October 2933 settlers invaded, since it coincided with three Jewish holidays which are “Kippur, the Jewish New Year and Sukkot”, the month of April 1868 settlers invaded, because it coincided with the “Jewish Passover”, the month of December 909 settlers invaded because it coincided with the “Fesitval of Lights- Hanukkah”, the month of August 1811 settlers invaded, because it coincided with “the memory of the destruction of the alleged temple”, and the month of June 1282 settlers invaded because it coincided with what is called the anniversary of occupying Jerusalem and the” anniversary of the descent of the Torah”.

Last May, Rabbi Yehuda Glick, who is also a Knesset member from the "Likud" party stormed into Al Aqsa, and in the month of September he performed his religious rituals at Cotton Merchants' Gate- one of Al Aqsa Mosque gates. Glick stormed the mosque after Israeli Prime Minister, Netanyahu confirmed the importance of continuing the prevention of Knesset members and ministers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque during the Jewish holiday period.

Jewish assemblies increased their violation of the sanctity of Al Aqsa during their invasions last year, where they performed public and secret prayers, wore special religious clothing, and put the menorah necklace during their tour in its yards, by the support and guarding of the Israeli Special Forces.

 

Invading Al Aqsa Mosque…

Israeli Special Forces invaded Al Aqsa Mosque and attacked worshipers with bombs and rubber bullets during two days in the month of Ramadan (21-22 Ramadan / June 26 to 27), and attacked guild worshipers with sound bombs, rubber bullets and pepper gas, and wounded dozens of them, without taking into consideration the sanctity of the holy month and the presence of dozens of worshipers, including the (elderly, sick and young), so as to secure the incursions of settlers to Al Aqsa, noting that each year the Israeli police close the Mughrabi Gate during the last ten days of Ramadan.

Last August Special Forces invaded Al Aqsa Mosque and severely beat worshipers during their presence at the tribal mosque’s yard which caused different bruises to many of them.

In the middle of last July in a dangerous escalation of the settlers, a memorial service was held in Al Aqsa yards, under the supervision of the Israeli Police chief, for a deceased Israeli named “Hallel Yaffa Ariel” who was killed in Kiryat Arba settlement in Hebron.

 

Extending the Incursion Period of Settlers to Al-Aqsa Mosque

The occupation authorities extended the period of incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, since the middle of last December by an hour, where incursions are carried out from seven in the morning until half past ten, instead of from half past seven until ten o’clock.

 

“The Black List”!

Since August 2015, the occupation authorities have continued preventing a group of women and men from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque after writing their names on what is known as the “black list”, by order from the Israeli police commander in the Old City of Jerusalem. The list includes about 60 names that are publicized to all of the Aqsa gates and are banned from entering on all days of the week.

The occupation authorities continue to prevent the staff of the Islamic Waqf to do the necessary repairs in Al-Aqsa Mosque, and interfere in their work. The most prominent interferences are in the restoration of the mosaics inside the “Dome of the Rock” Mosque, the restoration of a water pipe, and electrical maintenance, under the pretext of “not obtaining a permit to work”.

 

Restraining from Al Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem

Wadi Hilweh Information Center reported that 265 Palestinians are restrained from entering Al Aqsa Mosque for varying periods ranging from 3 days to 6 months and some are renewable, and among the restrained are 23 women, 26 minors, and about 45 Jerusalemite seniors.

Also the occupation authorities restrained 39 people from the city of Jerusalem, including (25 from internal Palestine, 3 Turks, two English males and a female).

 

 

 

Closing a Health Services Building

Israeli municipality staff closed a “health services” building holding 80 health units –toilets and places to perform wudu’- at the Gate of Bani Ghanim (one of the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque), under the pretext of the presence of historical traces inside the building, under the orders of the Israeli Prime minister.

 

13 Martyrs from Jerusalem during the Year 2016

 Occupation authorities continue carrying out summary executions under the pretext of trying to carry out “stabbing or shooting”. The use of weapons to kill Palestinians was given as the first choice for the Israeli soldiers, where (13 Jerusalemite martyrs) rose in the year of 2016, among them were two boys, a girl, and a woman.

The Martyrs have Rose during the Following Months:

 

The month of January: Martyr Ruqayya Abu Eid, age 14, was shot in ‘Anata by the guard of “Antot” Settlement built in the village, under the pretext of “trying to stab him”.

Mohammad Nabil Darwish Halabiya, age 17, also passed away that month at the entrance of Abu Dis encampment “placed on the territory of the town” after the explosion of “a local-made bomb” that was in his possession.

 

The month of February: Martyr Mohammad Abu Khalaf, age 20, from Kufur Aqab was shot by the Israeli Forces at Damascus Gate Square. Forces fired tens of bullets at him, despite him collapsing on the ground and not causing any danger to them, under the pretext of trying to stab; his corpse was handed over in the month of September.

 

The month of March: four martyrs rose in this month, and they are: martyr Fadwa Abu Teir, age 52, from Sur Baher village, south of Jerusalem under the pretext of trying to implement stabbing in Wad Street in the Old City; her corpse was handed over in the month of May.

 

Martyr Fouad Al Kassaf Abu Rajab, age 21, from Isawiyya village, after having implemented a shooting in Salah Al Din Street in Jerusalem; his corpse was handed over in May.

The two martyrs Mohammad Jamal Kalouti, age 21, and Abd Al Malik Saleh Abu Kharrob, age 19, from Kufur Aqab neighborhood and Qalandia Refugee Camp north of Jerusalem, passed away after implementing a shooting in The New Gate area in Jerusalem; their bodies were handed over in August.

 

The month of July: Martyr Anwar Falah Al Salaymeh, age 22, was shot by the Israeli soldiers while driving his vehicle accompanied by his two friends (Faris Al Rishiq and Mohammad Nassar) in Al Ram north of Jerusalem, and soon after that the Israeli occupation army issued a statement saying that during the invasion of Al Ram, troops had spotted an “accelerated” car heading towards them and as they felt in danger they shot at it. The Israeli occupation’s story denied his two friends, and confirmed that the young man, Salaymeh, is one of the victims of “Israel's security obsession”. His friends confirmed that they were with him to buy “Ka’ek bread and Falafel”, and after being shot at them they were surrounded by soldiers, they also confirmed that the soldiers did not ask them to stop their vehicle and that the car was driven at average speed. Releasing the martyr’s two friends after a 24 hour arrest, confirms their story.

 

The month of September: Two Jerusalemite martyrs…Mustafa Talal Nimir, age 27 was shot dead in Shufat Refugee Camp after Israeli soldiers fired at his car. The Israeli occupation were in the camp to carry out a campaign of arrests, the occupation authorities were quick to issue a statement that claimed that the driver of the vehicle tried to run them over, so they fired at him, which led to Mustafa’s death, and the injury of the driver, Ali Tayseer Nimir, age 25. Ali and the young martyr's fiancée have denied the Israeli side of the story after their investigation, and the very next day, the intelligence services admitted to martyr Nimir’s parents that they have shot him by accident and that he did not try to run over the soldiers who were invading Shufat Refugee Camp, and that the background of the incident was “offense not security”. They apologized about the “incident” where his companion (his brother in law) Ali Nimir was driving an unauthorized vehicle with no driver's license. Despite killing Mustafa Nimir “by mistake” the occupation authorities have detained his corpse for about a week in their refrigerators before being handed over to his family.

 

Naseeb Imran Abu Maizer, age 28 from Kufur Aqab was shot dead under the pretext of stabbing a member of the occupation forces at Qalandiya checkpoint north of Jerusalem. Palestinian Red Crescent Ambulance staff was prevented from accessing the Jerusalem Ramallah part of the checkpoint, and so Abu Maizer was left untreated. His corpse was handed over in November.

 

The month of October: Two Jerusalemite martyrs…Misbah Sbeih Abu Sbeih, age 40 from the village of Silwan, was killed after implementing a shooting at three points in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem, where he shot towards the light rail station, and towards a vehicle, as well as walking a distance and clashing with the Israeli Special Forces. His shootings led to the killing of two Israelis (a 30-year-old policeman, and a 60- year old woman settler), and the injury of others with various wounds; (his corpse is still captive in the occupation’s refrigerators).

 

Ali Atef Shiyoukhi, age 20 was shot by the Israeli occupation during clashes in Silwan. Medical staff at the Palestinian Red Crescent and Nuran Association confirmed that the occupation authorities prevented them from reaching the martyr Shiyoukhi after he was shot by live ammunition in the pelvic area, and he was left to bleed for more than 3 hours without help, which led to his death.

 

The month of November: The occupation authorities executed Mohammad Nabeel Zeidan Salam, age 14 at Shufat refugee camp checkpoint in Jerusalem, under the pretext of trying to stab one of the “security guards” as he passed through the checkpoint. (His corpse is still captive in the occupation’s refrigerators).

 

Arrests

Wadi Hilweh Information Center detected that 2027 people were arrested from the city of Jerusalem, including 79 women, 71 seniors, and 754 minors during the past year.

The Information Center reported that among the arrested minors are 57 juveniles -less than 12 years old- and 13 girls.

The geographical distribution for the number of detainees in all areas of Jerusalem was as follows: 416 Silwan, 392 Jerusalem Old City, 377 Issawiyya, 164 Tur, 121 Shuafat refugee camp, 75 Jabel Al Mukaber, 40 Shuafat and 40 Beit Hanina, 38 Kufur Aqab and 38 Sur Baher, 27 Wadi Al Joz, 20 Sawwanah, 10 Sheikh Jarrah, 8 Beit Safafa, 2 Umm Tuba, 3 Turks, 2 English men and an Eritrean, in addition to scattered arrests from Al Aqsa Mosque and its yards and gates.

The Information Center added that the months with the most arrests in Jerusalem City were October (262 arrests), April (214 arrests), and July (189 arrests).

The Center stated that in the past year the occupation authorities have arrested eight Palestinians after being shot under the pretext of carrying out a stabbing attack, attempting to stab or during clashes, and they are: Ayman Al Kurd - suffered hemiparesis, Ali Tayseer Nimir, Fares Al Rishiq, Ms Jihan Hashima, Huthaifa Taha, Ala’ Salah- lost his eye by a rubber bullet-, Mohammad Obaid, and Ali Abu Hussein, also the undercover unit known as “Musta’ribeen” arrested Fadi Al Issawi after suffering from fractures in his hand.

Wadi Hilweh Information Center also said that the arrests included four administrative and instructional bodies from schools in Jerusalem, where they arrested the head of the Directorate of Education in Jerusalem Mr Samir Jibril, the director of the orphanage school in the Old City of Jerusalem Mr. Mohammad Al Atrash, and teachers from Ras Al Amud- Silwan schools, also a school principal was summoned to court. The Center pointed out that among the minor prisoners are 38 students who were arrested on their way to school or on their way back from school, also the Islamic Orphanage School in the Old City of Jerusalem was arrested several times, as well as Ras Al Amud School, and Al Tur School under the pretext that students from those schools threw stones at members of the Israeli forces.

 

Demolition of Buildings and Structures

The Israeli municipality continued demolishing residential, commercial and agricultural facilities in the city of Jerusalem, under the pretext of building without a permit, in addition to demolishing and closing buildings and structures that belonged to the Jerusalemite families of martyrs and prisoners as measures of punishment.   

The Information Center detected the demolition of 164 structures including 35 facilities that were demolished by their owners “self-demolition” and 7 facilities that were demolished or closed as punitive measures against the families of martyrs and prisoners.

The demolition extended to: a Muslim praying area, foundations for a mosque, 49 houses, 10 residential buildings, two residential shelters, 7 residential rooms, 5 parts of homes, 28 agricultural facilities including shelters, rooms and farms, foundations of two houses, 25 commercial establishments, 6 storage units, 12 walls, two car parking lots, two playgrounds, 3 animal facilities (a coop and stables), 3 containers, and 6 graves.

The geographical distribution for the number of structures in all areas of Jerusalem was as follows: 45 facilities in the village of Silwan, 23 Jabel Al Mukaber, 18 Issawiya, 18 Beit Hanina, 13 Sur Baher, 10 Tur, 6 Gate of Mercy Cemetery, 5 Sawwanah, 4 Sheikh Jarrah, 3 Ram and Beit Safafa, and 2 in the Old City and Shuafat; also the demolition of one facility in each of the stated areas: Shuafat refugee camp, Al Musrara, “Al Dahiya” suburbs, industrial area, Wadi Al Joz, and Kufur Aqab, in addition to 6 facilities in Bethlehem “within the municipal boundaries of the occupation”.

The Israeli municipality displaced (168 Jerusalemites, including 79 children), after demolishing their homes during the year 2016.

 

Punitive House Demolitions

The occupation authorities entirely demolished the interior walls in the home of the family of Martyr Baha A’layan in Jabel Al Mukaber and they evicted his family afterwards. They also closed down the home of martyr Ala’ Abu Jamal’s sister in Jabel Al Mukaber with concrete and evicted his family. In addition, they demolished the interior walls and closed down the house of martyr Misbah Abu Sbeih in Kufur Aqab and displaced his family. They also closed the home of the detainee Abd Dwayyat from the village of Sur Baher who is accused of causing indirect killing of a settler after throwing stones at his vehicle; his mother and sister have been displaced.  

The occupation authorities closed three commercial enterprises in the town of Al-Ram, a (sweets shop and warehouses) that belong to Hajj Sbeih Abu Sbeih- father of the martyr, Misbah. They also closed down Al Rayyan printing press under the pretext of printing rebellion banners.

 

Penalties on Jerusalemite Prisoners

At the beginning of 2016, the occupation authorities withdrew the National Insurance benefits from a group of Jerusalemite women and men who have all been arrested from Al Aqsa Mosque and deported from it by decisions from the Israeli police and intelligence unit. The occupation classified them under what is known as the “stationary” regulation and are outlawed by order from the former Israeli Defense Minister, “Moshe Ya’alon”, (benefits include health insurance, child allowances, income security, and retirement benefits).

The occupation authorities also seized the health insurance of Jerusalemite detainee, Israa’ Ja’abees, who was convicted of trying to kill a policeman by blowing up a gas cylinder in the month of October 2015. She was sentenced with actual imprisonment for 11 years, and because the gas cylinder exploded, Ms. Ja’abees obtained severe burns all over her body, and most of her fingers were amputated; she was hospitalized for a long time at Hadassah Ein Karem before being transferred to Hasharon (Telmond) Prison for women.

The occupation authorities withdrew the “ID cards” and cut health insurance benefits of four prisoners who are: Mohammad Abu Kaf, Walid Al Atrash and Abed Dwayyat who have been charged with causing the death of a settler after throwing stones at his vehicle in the month of September 2015, and also the prisoner Bilal Abu Ghanem, who carried out a stabbing attack and a shooting in October 2015; he was sentenced with three life imprisonments and 60 years.

And within the collective punishments and prosecutions to the families of martyrs and prisoners, the Israeli intelligence canceled the “reunion form” for all members of the family of the martyr Fuad Al Kassaf Abu Rajab, “father and eight children between the ages 19 and two years old,” knowing that the family filed the form three years ago, and they met all the requirements needed; the process was in its final stages, knowing that the mother of the martyr carried an “Israeli ID card”.

The occupation authorities deported Ms Rania Al Abbasi, age 36 the wife of the Jerusalemite prisoner Ala’ Al Din Al Abbasi who has been under arrest since 2002 and sentenced actual imprisonment for a period of 66 years, to the West Bank under the pretext of illegal residence in the city of Jerusalem, because she carries an ID card of the West Bank and is not in possession of a residence permit; she is a mother of three sons.

 

Settler Aggressions

Attacks by settlers towards Jerusalemites and their properties continued in 2016. At the beginning of the year settlers wrote racist slogans against Christians on the walls of the Benedictine  German Abbey of the Dormition Church and on the walls of the “Orthodox Patriarchate of the priesthood” Institute located on Mount Zion in Jerusalem Old City.

The Center detected settlers attacking and severely beating 7 Jerusalemites, which caused broken noses for two of them, and one was stabbed with a knife and beaten with batons during his work in Jaffa Street.

Also at the beginning of last year settlers created holes in the walls of one of the rooms in Ms Noura Sub Laban-Gaith’s house located in Al Khalidiya neighborhood in the Old City of Jerusalem, through an adjacent property that has been seized by settlers.

In the month of December Mousa Ali Qaraeen, age 38 was shot by settlers’ guards in the foot during the attacks by the guards to the people of Batn Al Hawa neighborhood with live bullets and pepper gas.

 

Leaking Properties in Favor of Settlers

At the beginning of last year a two-storey residential building and a piece of land surrounding it in Beydoun lane- Wadi Hilweh neighborhood of Silwan, south of Al Aqsa Mosque was leaked to the Elad Settlement Association; the property belonged to the called upon Ahmad Abu Teir.

And at the end of last year, a building was leaked in Wadi Hilweh neighborhood of Silwan village, consisting of two floors.

Settlers also dominated a huge residential building with a view of the Old City; it is composed of several rooms in Sa'adiya neighborhood in Jerusaelm, it belonged to the “Yuzbashi” family.

 

 

Suppressing Jerusalemites

The occupation authorities continued to suppress freedom of opinion and Jerusalemites in Jerusalem City; the Information Center detected the suppression of cultural events as well as public and solidarity activities.

Some of these repressive actions exercised by the occupation are: suppression of a march that took place in Nablus Street- Damascus Gate that was done in solidarity with prisoners on hunger strike, suppression of the march of deportees from the Al-Aqsa Mosque, suppression of a solidarity stand to demand the return of the corpses of martyrs held in refrigerators, preventing a conference in the Commodore Hotel in Sawwanah neighborhood with the title “ Our Humanity is Stronger than your Banning”, and preventing the announcement of the winners in the competition of “reciting the  Holy Quran” in the headquarters of the Jerusalem club.

The Israeli occupation prevented a cultural open meeting with the Minister of Culture Dr. Ihab Bseiso in the Palestinian National Theatre “El Hakawati”, and prevented the activity “Sing with us- an evening with the audience’s vocals”.

The occupation authorities shut down “Sa’ed (Help) for Educational Consultants” institution under the pretext of its “support of terrorism”.

 

Settlements (Colonizing)

The settlement associations, by decisions of the courts of the occupation in 2016, took over a piece of land in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in the city, and two houses in the old city of Jerusalem, which led to the eviction of 14 people, including 5 children.

The Information Center explained that in the middle of last September the Ateret Cohanim association took over a property that belonged to the family of the citizen Mazin Qirrish in the old city. Arguing that the family has no “tenancy deposit protection” and lost the right of protection because they are considered as “fourth generation”, note that the family has been living in the property since 1936, and eight people live in it, including a three year old child and a two month old baby.

In mid-July settlement associations also seized the property of Al Bakri family in Bab Hutta area in the old city, under the pretext that the family has no “tenancy deposit protection”; six people lived in it including three children.

The occupation authorities confiscated a land with an area of 3 acres in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood that belonged to “Abu Ta’a” and “Siyam” families, and handed it over to the “Amana” Company that works on randomly establishing settlements and outposts.

In December, the Israeli Supreme Court issued a decision to partially stop the evacuation of “Gaith- Sub Laban” family from their home located in Oqbat Al Khalidiya in the old city of Jerusalem, where the family can stay in the house for 10 years as a “protected tenant”, but after that they must evacuate the house and hand it in to settlement associations. The court limited the right to live in the house to Mrs. Noura Ghaith and her husband, Mustafa Sub Laban without their children, and the court gave the settlers the right to request the family’s evacuation in the case that any of the other members of the family move in.

The Supreme Court’s decision excluded the storage which is located on the bottom of the house, which allowed the settlement association to directly takeover it.

71 families from Batn Al Hawa neighborhood are at risk of eviction after receiving notices from “Ateret Cohanim” Association claiming that the land their houses are built on belong to the Jews of Yemen since 1881. The land threatened with confiscation is an area of 5 acres and 200 square meters of the neighborhood, it is divided into 6 pieces of land, “Ateret Cohanim” claims that the Supreme Court recognized the ownership of settlers from Yemen to the land in Batn Al Hawa, and the association began distributing the notices since September 2015.

The occupation authorities issued a license for “Ateret Cohanim” settlement to build a new residential building of three floors for the settlers in the center of Silwan. It is the first time that the Israeli municipality allows the establishment of a building for settlers in the village.

 

Gate of Mercy Cemetery

Even cemeteries and graves in Jerusalem have not been spared from the Israeli occupation violations. The occupation authorities began targeting Gate of Mercy cemetery that is adjacent to Al Aqsa Mosque, and with a decision from the Israeli municipality and “Israel Nature and Parks Authority”, signs were posted prohibiting burial in parts of the cemetery (about 4 acres of it), arguing that it is “a national park around the walls of Jerusalem”. The occupation authorities prohibited the burial of a Jerusalemite woman in her grave on the grounds that the land is confiscated, and after about an hour they allowed her family to bury her in another grave. Also last year the occupation authorities destroyed several graves under the pretext of building them without a permit on confiscated parts of the land. Last year the occupation authorities attacked two funerals in Gate of Mercy Cemetery by bombs, pepper gas and beatings in an attempt to prevent the burial of Jameela Ibrahim Assi Al A’war, and Jamal Mohammad Al Abassi, both from the village of Silwan.

 

A New Tunnel… Landslides and Cracks in Silwan

At the end of last year, the occupation authorities inaugurated a new settlement tunnel in Wadi Hilweh neighborhood toward the Mughrabi Gate Square “the entrance of the neighborhood”.

In 2016 the cracks and landslides in the constructions and streets of Wadi Hilweh neighborhood in Silwan widened. Cracks also appeared in other facilities, due to the Israeli occupation’s intensified digging for tunnels under the neighborhood. A family was forced to evacuate their home in the village because of the wide cracks.