Dangerous violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque…20 Martyrs in Jerusalem…and hundreds of arrests
Wadi Hilweh Information Center issued its yearly report for 2017 in which it monitored the occupation authorities’ violations in the city of Jerusalem.
The center said the occupation authorities supported by the government escalated their assaults in the city of Jerusalem during the year 2017, and probably the most significant events were the popular uprising when they closed Al-Aqsa gates and placed “metal detectors” at its gates, and the events organized in Jerusalem after the United States President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
The occupation authorities continued “executing” people under the pretexts of “possession of a knife or attempting an attack”. Also, the policies of arresting Jerusalemites and demolishing their homes under the pretext of building without a permit continued in Jerusalem.
Al-Aqsa Mosque
The information Center said the occupation government escalated its violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque in an unprecedented way after closing it for two days in July and preventing the Call for Prayer in addition to attempting to impose new measures to search worshippers by placing “metal detectors” at the gates not to mention the significant increase in the number of settlers that broke into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa.
The occupation authorities completely closed Al-Aqsa Mosque for two consecutive days "14-15 July" following an armed clash on Friday morning "the 14th of July" between three young Palestinians from the city of Umm al-Fahem and the Israeli police at Hutta Gate – one of Al-Aqsa gates- and spread to the courtyards of the Dome of the Rock where three young men were martyred and two policemen were killed.
The center said that the occupation forces, after the incident, arrested all employees of the Islamic Awqaf Department that were at Al-Aqsa, and conducted field investigations and registration of identity numbers for all worshipers who were present at the moment of the incident. Then, they vacated the entire Al-Aqsa Mosque and only a group of guards who were restricted from moving remained inside Al-Aqsa. The Israeli authorities then denied entry to Al-Aqsa for two days, during which they searched the "offices, mosques, squares, wells and facilities in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and tampered with all of the contents”.
On the 16th of July, the occupation government decided to open Al-Aqsa Mosque on condition of placing metal detectors at the entrances to conduct an inspection of those entering Al-Aqsa. A private company under the supervision of officers and occupation forces placed five electronic gates near Lions Gate, two at Al-Silsileh Gate and two at Al-Majles Gate. Only three gates (Lions, Al-Majles and Al-Silsileh) were opened for worshipers while Hutta, King Faisal, Ghawanmeh, Hadeed, Al-Mathara and Al-Qataneen gates remained closed.
Placing metal detectors was refused by the religious officials and Palestinians in general who responded by organizing daily sit-ins at Lions Gate and Al-Majles Gate and praying in the streets. The occupation government then tried to replace the “metal detectors” by a “smart cameras” system, and began preparing for the new system by placing metal beams and corridors at the gates, but that was rejected as well, to continue the sit-in campaigns outside Al-Aqsa for 12 days, until the occupation removed all the measures taken after the 14th of July.
On the 27th of July and after the religious officials’ decision to enter Al-Aqsa, the occupation tried to prevent the guards from opening the Hutta Gate. Tens of thousands of Palestinians managed to enter the Aqsa through Hutta Gate and Lions Gate, and then the heavily armed forced stormed into the mosque and assaulted worshipers with sound grenades, rubber bullets and sprayed them with pepper gas and also beat and pushed in an attempt to evacuate the mosque. After the Night Prayer, the forces stormed into Al-Aqsa and arrested all those present in Al-Qibali Mosque to prevent them from staying overnight.
On the 28th of July (Friday), the occupation authorities imposed restrictions on the entrance of Muslim worshippers to Al-Aqsa Mosque and prevented men under the age of 50 from entering.
During the month of July, worshippers performed three Friday Noon Prayers (14th, 21st and 28th) in the streets of Jerusalem due to the closure and siege imposed on Al-Aqsa.
The consequences of closing Al-Aqsa Mosque in July
The Department of Islamic Endowments (Awqaf) issued a report late last year, during which it explained what the occupation authorities did during the closure of Al-Aqsa last July, notably the cultivation of iron bolts in multiple parts in the walls of the Dome of the Rock, these screws are believed to be monitoring devices. Most of the locks of rooms and closets were broken and computers were turned on and checked, as well as the removal of a tile from inside the cave and spraying white material on certain parts of the rock, tampering with carpets and electricity drains, breaking the locks of wells in the old Aqsa, the installation of screws on the wooden writing boards in the fortieth , opening all the drains and breaking the locks of the wells in the old Aqsa, removing different stones and then reconstructing them in the southern side and removing an ancient stone slab on the roof of the Dome of the Rock from the south.
Pursuing the employees of the Islamic Endowments Department
The Israeli occupation authorities continued to impose restrictions on the employees of the Islamic Endowments Department "Construction Committee" while carrying out maintenance and renovation works at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, preventing them from working frequently and obstructing their work and arresting them.
The occupation authorities also restricted the work of the guards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and many of them were beaten, arrested and expelled from Al-Aqsa during the past year.
The occupation authorities tried to insert an aluminum chamber to Al-Aqsa, but the guards confronted them.
Occupation forces’ invasion of Al-Aqsa Mosque
On the 10th of April, occupation forces individuals stormed into Al-Aqsa Mosque at night time and conducted a wide search in the area of “Al-Hursh” under the pretext of looking for worshippers staying overnight.
In May and during the so-called “Independence Day”, two Israeli soldiers stormed into Al-Aqsa during the morning break-in session and performed the “military salute” near Al-Hursh area across from the Dome of the Rock.
During the last ten days of the holy month of Ramadan and specifically on the 18th of June, the occupation forces stormed into Al-Aqsa Mosque and assaulted Muslim worshippers who were staying overnight at Al-Aqsa and sprayed them with pepper gas. They also surrounded them inside Al-Qibali Mosque after closing its gates with iron chains; two worshippers were arrested.
Towards the end of June, settlers organized a “memorial service” at Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first anniversary of the death of a female settler in Kiryat Arba’ settlement in Hebron. The Chief of Police in Jerusalem participated in the event while Muslims were prevented from entering the Mosque.
Invasion of the “alleged temple groups” into Al-Aqsa Mosque
The “alleged temple groups” also escalated their daily break-ins into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque with governmental and judicial support. Break-ins are conducted daily through Dung Gate which is controlled by the Israeli occupation authorities since the occupation of Jerusalem in 1967. The occupation authorities allow the settlers to desecrate Al-Aqsa during the week except on Fridays and Saturdays, under-cover “Foreign tourism”, and are conducted in two session; morning and afternoon. Settlers who usually wear special religious clothes are guarded by the occupation Special Forces, and perform their prayers in the courtyards publicly and secretly in some cases.
In February, the Israeli Magistrate judge said Al-Aqsa Mosque was the holiest place for Jewish people and they have the right to pray in it, and no one has the right to prevent them from reaching its courtyards and ascend to what he called the “Temple Mount”.
Former deputy of the Israeli Knesset, Moshe Feiglin, also stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in February and April.
On August 29, the extremist Yehuda Glick and Shole M’alem stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allowed Knesset members to storm the mosque on this day after they were barred from entering it a year and a half ago. Glick also stormed Al-Aqsa in October to celebrate and bless the wedding of his son and was under heavy protection from the Israeli police and Special Forces.
The Islamic Endowments estimated the number of intruders of Al-Aqsa Mosque during the past year at 25630 settlers, in addition to more than 3 thousand Jewish students.
The center reported that the month with the highest number of incursions by settlers and Jewish students was October (3383), since the Jewish holiday “Sukkot" was in that same month. The month of August witnessed the second biggest number of incursions (3617), followed by July (3213- anniversary of the destruction of the alleged temple), May (3054-anniversary of occupying Jerusalem), April (2758- Passover holiday), December (2294-Jewish Festival of Lights).
Trump's decision and activities in Jerusalem refusing it
On December 6, Trump announced that Jerusalem was the capital of Israel. After that, Jerusalem witnessed "sit-ins, marches and activities, rejecting Trump’s decision and emphasizing the Arab identity of the holy city. The occupation authorities suppressed all activities with sound grenades, and poisonous gas and beat them at many occasions. The raising of the Palestinian flag during these events provoked the anger of the occupation forces and they quickly confiscated it and assaulted and arrested whoever was holding it.
Damascus Gate and Salah Al-Din Street in the city of Jerusalem were the most important areas that witnessed the events in the city. In order to prevent the presence of Jerusalemites and prevent any sit-ins on the steps of Damascus Gate and in its courtyards, the occupation authorities placed iron barricades everywhere.
Martyrs of 2017
Last year, 20 people were martyred in the city of Jerusalem including a girl, a woman and Jordanian citizens after they were all shot by the occupation forces.
Details
8/1/2017- Martyr Fadi Ahmed Hamdan Qunbar, 28, from Jabal Al-Mukabber in Jerusalem, was shot dead by Israeli soldiers after carrying out an attack using a truck near the settlement of Armon Hanatsiv on the lands of Jabal Al-Mukabber.
13/3/2017- Martyrs Ibrahim Mahmoud Matar, 25, was shot dead at Lions Gate inside the Old City of Jerusalem near Al-Aqsa Mosque while he was heading to pray the Dawn Prayer. He was arrested and taken inside the police station. While forcing him outside the station, a soldier opened fire at him.
29/3/2017- Martyr Siham Rateb Nimer, 49, was shot dead in the area of Damascus Gate in Jerusalem.
1/4/2017- Martyr Ahmad Zaher Fathi Ghazal, 17, from the city of Nablus was shot dead after stabbing two settlers in Al-Wad Street in the Old City. The occupation forces murdered the young man inside a building in the same streets.
19/4/2017- Martyr Suhaib Mousa Mashour Mashahra, 21, from Sheikh Sa’ed village southeast of Jerusalem was shot dead near Gosh Atsion settlement south of Bethlehem under the pretext of attempting to run-over Israeli soldiers.
7/5/2017- Martyr Fatima Afif Abdelrahman Hajiji, 16, from Qarawat Bani Zeid in Ramallah was shot dead in the area of Damascus Gate after attempting a stabbing attack. It is noteworthy that she was meters away from the soldiers who were standing behind iron barriers when she was shot.
13/5/2017- The Jordanian citizen, Mohammad Abdullah Salim Kasji, 57, was martyred after being shot near Al-Silsileh gate road in the Old City after stabbing an Israeli soldier.
16/6/2017- Three Palestinian men from the village of Der Abu Mash’al northwest of Ramallah were martyred after carrying out a stabbing and shooting attack in Jerusalem. They are: Bara’ Ibrahim Saleh, 18, Adel Ahmad Ankoosh, 18, and Usama Ahmad Ata, 19.
20/6/2017- Martyr Baha’ Emad Samir Hirbawi, 23, from the village of Ezaryeh east of Jerusalem was shot dead by the occupation forces at Jaba’ checkpoint under the pretext of attempting a stabbing attack.
14/7/2017- Three Palestinian men from the village of Um Al-Fahem in the 1948 lands were martyred during an armed clash with the occupation forces in Al-Aqsa Mosque. They are: Mohammad Ahmad Mohammad Jbareen, 29, Mohammad Hamed Abdellatif Jbareen, 19, and Mohammad Ahmad Mifdel Jbareen, 19.
21/7/2017- Martyr Mohammad Mahmoud Sharaf, 18, was shot dead by a settler near Ras Al-Amoud settlement in Silwan after the Friday Noon Prayer, and Mohammad Hasan Abu Ghannam, 21, was martyred during clashes in the village of Al-Tur while Mohammad Mahmoud Khalaf, 17, was martyred during clashes in the village of Abu Dis.
22/7/2017- Martyrs Yousef Abbas Kashour, 24, was shot dead during clashes in Abu Dis.
27/7/2017- Martyr Mohammad Kanaan Khatib, 25, was shot dead during clashes in Hizma village.
15/12/2017- Martyr Basel Mustafa Ibrahim from the village of Anata in Jerusalem was shot dead during clashes in the village.
The occupation authorities continue to detain the body of the Jerusalemite Martyr Musbah Abu Sbeih since October 2016, and Martyr Fadi Qunbar since January 2017.
Arrests
The occupation authorities continued executing arrests in the city of Jerusalem in 2017, and arrested hundreds of young men, women and children. The information center monitored the arrest of 2466 people from the city of Jerusalem including 720 minors, 26 elderly, 54 children under the age of responsibility (12 years) and 88 females.
The center explained that among the female detainees were 6 minors and 4 elderly. The youngest detainee was a 6-year old child from Silwan followed by a 7-year old from Shu’fat.
Muslims from Britain, Turkey and Uzbekistan were also among the detainees.
The geographical distribution of arrests was as follows: Silwan (460), Esawyeh (383), Old City of Jerusalem (368), Al-Tur (204), Shu’fat Refugee Camp and the village of Anata (138), Jabal Al-Mukabber (101), Wad Al-Joz (63), Shu’fat (47), Sur Baher (46), Beit Hanina (42), Kufor Aqab (36), Al-Sowaneh (32), Sheikh Jarrah (24), Um Tuba (3)and Beit Safafa (2) in addition to 517 arrests executed inside Al-Aqsa and at its gates as well as the streets of Jerusalem and the Old City during the popular rise that came against the metal detectors and Trump’s announcement to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
The center explained that the month of December witnessed the highest number of detainees (432) followed by July (425) and April (222).
Deportation and Isolation
The Israeli occupation authorities continued to distance the policy of deporting people from Jerusalem and isolating them from Al-Aqsa Mosque. The center monitored the isolation of 170 citizens from Al-Aqsa, including 14 minors and 15 women while 68 people were deported from the Old City, and 16 from the entire city of Jerusalem and 6 citizens were prevented from entering the West Bank. The deportation and isolation orders varied between 5 days and 6 months.
Demolishing 116 establishments
The occupation authorities continued to demolish residential, commercial and agricultural structures in Jerusalem under the pretext of building without a permit. The Jerusalem Municipality also forced Jerusalemites to execute demolition orders by themselves, after threatening them with actual imprisonment and imposing heavy fines, in addition to forcing them to pay the demolition fee. On the other hand, the occupation municipality do not giver Jerusalemites building permits and impose impossible conditions on them in addition to the huge amounts that accompany the licensing procedures, which could last for many years.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center monitored the demolition of 116 structures (some of them under construction) in the city of Jerusalem and its suburbs during the past year. Demolitions were carried out by the occupation municipality: 12 residential buildings, 39 houses, 19 commercial establishments, 16 barracks livestock, 2 residential barracks, 7 fences, 4 farms, 6 stores and 2 parking spaces.
The center explained that among the demolished structures were 27 that were self-demolished by their owners following orders from the occupation’s courts.
The center also pointed out that the house of Martyr Fadi Qunbar was among the houses that were demolished, as it was closed with cement.
As a result of the demolitions, 241 Palestinians were displaced, including 107 children under the age of 18.
The Israeli municipality carried out the highest number of demolitions in the village of Esawyeh where 27 structures were demolished, followed by Silwan 25, Jabal Mukabber 24, Beit Hanina 19, and demolitions in all other neighborhoods.
The Israeli occupation authorities also continued to distribute demolition notices on residential houses, agricultural and commercial facilities on the pretext of unlicensed construction in all neighborhoods of Jerusalem. The authorities distributed notices to demolish the whole neighborhood of Kamel in Kufor Aqab north of Jerusalem which includes 6 buildings and a mosque under the pretext of building without a permit, and in order to open a street in the same area.
Seizing property in Jerusalem
In 2017, the settlement societies seized the house of Ayoub Shamasneh in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem claiming that Jews owned the house before 1948. Ayoub, 83, his 74-year-old wife, their son Mohammad, his wife and six children were all displaced. And the beginning of last year, settlers also seized a warehouse owned by Sub Laban family, and a shop belonging to the family of Abu Mayaleh towards the end of the year; both structures are in Oqbat Al-Khaldyeh in the Old City of Jerusalem after a the families had fought in courts to preserve their property.
The occupation authorities confiscated a piece of land in the village of Silwan, under the pretext of "gardening and public utility".
Settlers also took control of "a residential building, a room, a yard and stores" in the village of Silwan, after being “leaked” to them by the owners.
Suppression of religious and national events
The Israeli occupation authorities continued to suppress the freedom of opinion and suppressed Jerusalemites in many cases in the city. The Information Center monitored the suppression of various cultural events and public activities.
The center pointed out that the popular uprising that accompanied the placement of "metal detectors" at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, suppressed by the occupation authorities in an attempt to prevent sit-ins and prayers at the gates of al-Aqsa. The occupation authorities also suppressed all activities that started in Jerusalem after Trump's decision.
The occupation authorities also suppressed marches and sit-ins in Jerusalem during the prisoners' hunger strike in April and May, both in Damascus Gate and at the Red Cross headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.
The Israeli intelligence services also prevented the organization of seminars and cultural, artistic and sporting events in Jerusalem under the pretext of sponsorship by the Palestinian Authority or by Hamas. The occupation forces stormed the cultural centers, hotels and even playgrounds, where the events were scheduled, and closed them with military orders.
Violating the sanctity of the dead
Cemeteries in Jerusalem were not excluded from the occupation’s assaults and violations. In the cemetery of Al-Rahmeh Gate, adjacent to the eastern wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Israeli occupation authorities cut down trees to complete the control of new areas in favor of the "Biblical Gardens" project around the walls of the Old City. The occupation authorities target the area of Al-Rahmeh Gate cemetery, and had previously confiscated parts of it for the "paths of settlers and tourists", and prevented the burial in the seized area; they also destroyed a number of graves.
Israeli bulldozers also demolished part of the wall of the Martyrs' Cemetery in Jerusalem and began to raze the land in order to build biblical gardens and special paths for the settlers and the settlement of the western slopes of the Mount of Olives. The cemetery is an extension of the Yusufiya cemetery in Damascus Gate, where hundreds of Arab soldiers died in the 1967 war.
In West Jerusalem, during the excavations of "infrastructure" in the street adjacent to the cemetery of Ma’man Allah, a large burial place and the remains of dead Muslim were found (bones and skulls), confirming that the place is an extension of Ma’man Allah Cemetery, which was seized and used for several projects, "Hotels, gardens, restaurants, and the forgiveness museum as well as streets without any regard for the sanctity of the dead. Only a few graves remain in the cemetery.
Violation to the right of education
The educational process in Jerusalem was also affected by the occupation in 2017. In February, the Israeli occupation authorities closed down the elementary school in the village of Sur Baher under the pretext of "the intention to teach provocative materials that contradict with the existence of Israel and apply to the philosophy of Hamas. The occupation authorities deprived 230 students from kindergarten to sixth grade, from receiving their education during last year’s school-year.
In November, the Israeli occupation forces stormed the school of Zahwa Al-Quds in the neighborhood of Beit Hanina while classes were in session. The school principal and three teachers were arrested after a large search operation at the school.
At the beginning of the current school year, the occupation authorities tried to obstruct the educational process in Al-Aqsa schools, which are schools inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque, by prohibiting the entry of textbooks for distribution to students under the pretext of being published by the Palestinian Authority and the presence of the PA’s logo and Palestinian flag. The school’s administration was forced to distribute the books in a parking lot outside the gates of Al-Aqsa.
The Israeli occupation forces also stormed Dar Al-Aytam School in Old Jerusalem several times.
In the villages of Esawyeh, Al-Tur and Ras al-Amoud neighborhood, the Israeli occupation authorities were deliberately present in the vicinity of schools during the morning or afternoon hours when students leave their schools.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center monitored the arrest of 24 students from their classrooms, while on their way to school or after school.
Collective punishment
The Israeli occupation authorities continued to impose collective punishment on Jerusalemites through the implementation of incursions into villages and Jerusalem neighborhoods and the abuse of their residents through storming into their and commercial establishments, the imposition of fines and violations, the random use of rubber bullets and bombs and the closure of roads and main streets.
During the year 2017, four Jerusalemites lost one eye each after being targeted by rubber bullets, including a woman who was injured while on the balcony of her home in Esawyeh, two boys and a young man (3 from Esawyeh and one from Silwan).
In the middle of June, the occupation forces, following the operation of the martyrs of "Deir Abu Mashaal" imposed a tight siege on the area of Damascus Gate and the streets adjacent to it and closed the area for two days and prevented the movement of vehicles and public buses, and deported dozens of residents of the West Bank The West Bank through dedicated buses and prevented their presence in Jerusalem, on the grounds that they do not have legal permits to enter.
In July, the Israeli occupation authorities suppressed the funeral of the young Ali Abu Gharbieh from Al-Sowaneh neighborhood, who drowned in the Sea of Galilee. The forces attacked the funeral, assaulted mourners with rubber bullets and grenades, and launched a large-scale arrest campaign after a funeral for a group of young men from the neighborhood.
Al-Maqased Hospital was also subject to violations. The occupation forces stormed its yards and buildings several times and threw bombs in its area and at its entrances. The ambulance crews were also pursued by the Israeli occupation forces, which obstructed their work and prevented them from reaching the scene.
Journalists were also subjected to many violations, including arrests and detention of identity cards, press and beatings, prevention of filming and denial of access to the scene of the event. Many journalists were injured due to various assaults.
Dangerous violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque…20 Martyrs in Jerusalem…and hundreds of arrests
Wadi Hilweh Information Center issued its yearly report for 2017 in which it monitored the occupation authorities’ violations in the city of Jerusalem.
The center said the occupation authorities supported by the government escalated their assaults in the city of Jerusalem during the year 2017, and probably the most significant events were the popular uprising when they closed Al-Aqsa gates and placed “metal detectors” at its gates, and the events organized in Jerusalem after the United States President Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
The occupation authorities continued “executing” people under the pretexts of “possession of a knife or attempting an attack”. Also, the policies of arresting Jerusalemites and demolishing their homes under the pretext of building without a permit continued in Jerusalem.
Al-Aqsa Mosque
The information Center said the occupation government escalated its violations at Al-Aqsa Mosque in an unprecedented way after closing it for two days in July and preventing the Call for Prayer in addition to attempting to impose new measures to search worshippers by placing “metal detectors” at the gates not to mention the significant increase in the number of settlers that broke into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa.
The occupation authorities completely closed Al-Aqsa Mosque for two consecutive days "14-15 July" following an armed clash on Friday morning "the 14th of July" between three young Palestinians from the city of Umm al-Fahem and the Israeli police at Hutta Gate – one of Al-Aqsa gates- and spread to the courtyards of the Dome of the Rock where three young men were martyred and two policemen were killed.
The center said that the occupation forces, after the incident, arrested all employees of the Islamic Awqaf Department that were at Al-Aqsa, and conducted field investigations and registration of identity numbers for all worshipers who were present at the moment of the incident. Then, they vacated the entire Al-Aqsa Mosque and only a group of guards who were restricted from moving remained inside Al-Aqsa. The Israeli authorities then denied entry to Al-Aqsa for two days, during which they searched the "offices, mosques, squares, wells and facilities in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and tampered with all of the contents”.
On the 16th of July, the occupation government decided to open Al-Aqsa Mosque on condition of placing metal detectors at the entrances to conduct an inspection of those entering Al-Aqsa. A private company under the supervision of officers and occupation forces placed five electronic gates near Lions Gate, two at Al-Silsileh Gate and two at Al-Majles Gate. Only three gates (Lions, Al-Majles and Al-Silsileh) were opened for worshipers while Hutta, King Faisal, Ghawanmeh, Hadeed, Al-Mathara and Al-Qataneen gates remained closed.
Placing metal detectors was refused by the religious officials and Palestinians in general who responded by organizing daily sit-ins at Lions Gate and Al-Majles Gate and praying in the streets. The occupation government then tried to replace the “metal detectors” by a “smart cameras” system, and began preparing for the new system by placing metal beams and corridors at the gates, but that was rejected as well, to continue the sit-in campaigns outside Al-Aqsa for 12 days, until the occupation removed all the measures taken after the 14th of July.
On the 27th of July and after the religious officials’ decision to enter Al-Aqsa, the occupation tried to prevent the guards from opening the Hutta Gate. Tens of thousands of Palestinians managed to enter the Aqsa through Hutta Gate and Lions Gate, and then the heavily armed forced stormed into the mosque and assaulted worshipers with sound grenades, rubber bullets and sprayed them with pepper gas and also beat and pushed in an attempt to evacuate the mosque. After the Night Prayer, the forces stormed into Al-Aqsa and arrested all those present in Al-Qibali Mosque to prevent them from staying overnight.
On the 28th of July (Friday), the occupation authorities imposed restrictions on the entrance of Muslim worshippers to Al-Aqsa Mosque and prevented men under the age of 50 from entering.
During the month of July, worshippers performed three Friday Noon Prayers (14th, 21st and 28th) in the streets of Jerusalem due to the closure and siege imposed on Al-Aqsa.
The consequences of closing Al-Aqsa Mosque in July
The Department of Islamic Endowments (Awqaf) issued a report late last year, during which it explained what the occupation authorities did during the closure of Al-Aqsa last July, notably the cultivation of iron bolts in multiple parts in the walls of the Dome of the Rock, these screws are believed to be monitoring devices. Most of the locks of rooms and closets were broken and computers were turned on and checked, as well as the removal of a tile from inside the cave and spraying white material on certain parts of the rock, tampering with carpets and electricity drains, breaking the locks of wells in the old Aqsa, the installation of screws on the wooden writing boards in the fortieth , opening all the drains and breaking the locks of the wells in the old Aqsa, removing different stones and then reconstructing them in the southern side and removing an ancient stone slab on the roof of the Dome of the Rock from the south.
Pursuing the employees of the Islamic Endowments Department
The Israeli occupation authorities continued to impose restrictions on the employees of the Islamic Endowments Department "Construction Committee" while carrying out maintenance and renovation works at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, preventing them from working frequently and obstructing their work and arresting them.
The occupation authorities also restricted the work of the guards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and many of them were beaten, arrested and expelled from Al-Aqsa during the past year.
The occupation authorities tried to insert an aluminum chamber to Al-Aqsa, but the guards confronted them.
Occupation forces’ invasion of Al-Aqsa Mosque
On the 10th of April, occupation forces individuals stormed into Al-Aqsa Mosque at night time and conducted a wide search in the area of “Al-Hursh” under the pretext of looking for worshippers staying overnight.
In May and during the so-called “Independence Day”, two Israeli soldiers stormed into Al-Aqsa during the morning break-in session and performed the “military salute” near Al-Hursh area across from the Dome of the Rock.
During the last ten days of the holy month of Ramadan and specifically on the 18th of June, the occupation forces stormed into Al-Aqsa Mosque and assaulted Muslim worshippers who were staying overnight at Al-Aqsa and sprayed them with pepper gas. They also surrounded them inside Al-Qibali Mosque after closing its gates with iron chains; two worshippers were arrested.
Towards the end of June, settlers organized a “memorial service” at Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first anniversary of the death of a female settler in Kiryat Arba’ settlement in Hebron. The Chief of Police in Jerusalem participated in the event while Muslims were prevented from entering the Mosque.
Invasion of the “alleged temple groups” into Al-Aqsa Mosque
The “alleged temple groups” also escalated their daily break-ins into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque with governmental and judicial support. Break-ins are conducted daily through Dung Gate which is controlled by the Israeli occupation authorities since the occupation of Jerusalem in 1967. The occupation authorities allow the settlers to desecrate Al-Aqsa during the week except on Fridays and Saturdays, under-cover “Foreign tourism”, and are conducted in two session; morning and afternoon. Settlers who usually wear special religious clothes are guarded by the occupation Special Forces, and perform their prayers in the courtyards publicly and secretly in some cases.
In February, the Israeli Magistrate judge said Al-Aqsa Mosque was the holiest place for Jewish people and they have the right to pray in it, and no one has the right to prevent them from reaching its courtyards and ascend to what he called the “Temple Mount”.
Former deputy of the Israeli Knesset, Moshe Feiglin, also stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in February and April.
On August 29, the extremist Yehuda Glick and Shole M’alem stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu allowed Knesset members to storm the mosque on this day after they were barred from entering it a year and a half ago. Glick also stormed Al-Aqsa in October to celebrate and bless the wedding of his son and was under heavy protection from the Israeli police and Special Forces.
The Islamic Endowments estimated the number of intruders of Al-Aqsa Mosque during the past year at 25630 settlers, in addition to more than 3 thousand Jewish students.
The center reported that the month with the highest number of incursions by settlers and Jewish students was October (3383), since the Jewish holiday “Sukkot" was in that same month. The month of August witnessed the second biggest number of incursions (3617), followed by July (3213- anniversary of the destruction of the alleged temple), May (3054-anniversary of occupying Jerusalem), April (2758- Passover holiday), December (2294-Jewish Festival of Lights).
Trump's decision and activities in Jerusalem refusing it
On December 6, Trump announced that Jerusalem was the capital of Israel. After that, Jerusalem witnessed "sit-ins, marches and activities, rejecting Trump’s decision and emphasizing the Arab identity of the holy city. The occupation authorities suppressed all activities with sound grenades, and poisonous gas and beat them at many occasions. The raising of the Palestinian flag during these events provoked the anger of the occupation forces and they quickly confiscated it and assaulted and arrested whoever was holding it.
Damascus Gate and Salah Al-Din Street in the city of Jerusalem were the most important areas that witnessed the events in the city. In order to prevent the presence of Jerusalemites and prevent any sit-ins on the steps of Damascus Gate and in its courtyards, the occupation authorities placed iron barricades everywhere.
Martyrs of 2017
Last year, 20 people were martyred in the city of Jerusalem including a girl, a woman and Jordanian citizens after they were all shot by the occupation forces.
Details
8/1/2017- Martyr Fadi Ahmed Hamdan Qunbar, 28, from Jabal Al-Mukabber in Jerusalem, was shot dead by Israeli soldiers after carrying out an attack using a truck near the settlement of Armon Hanatsiv on the lands of Jabal Al-Mukabber.
13/3/2017- Martyrs Ibrahim Mahmoud Matar, 25, was shot dead at Lions Gate inside the Old City of Jerusalem near Al-Aqsa Mosque while he was heading to pray the Dawn Prayer. He was arrested and taken inside the police station. While forcing him outside the station, a soldier opened fire at him.
29/3/2017- Martyr Siham Rateb Nimer, 49, was shot dead in the area of Damascus Gate in Jerusalem.
1/4/2017- Martyr Ahmad Zaher Fathi Ghazal, 17, from the city of Nablus was shot dead after stabbing two settlers in Al-Wad Street in the Old City. The occupation forces murdered the young man inside a building in the same streets.
19/4/2017- Martyr Suhaib Mousa Mashour Mashahra, 21, from Sheikh Sa’ed village southeast of Jerusalem was shot dead near Gosh Atsion settlement south of Bethlehem under the pretext of attempting to run-over Israeli soldiers.
7/5/2017- Martyr Fatima Afif Abdelrahman Hajiji, 16, from Qarawat Bani Zeid in Ramallah was shot dead in the area of Damascus Gate after attempting a stabbing attack. It is noteworthy that she was meters away from the soldiers who were standing behind iron barriers when she was shot.
13/5/2017- The Jordanian citizen, Mohammad Abdullah Salim Kasji, 57, was martyred after being shot near Al-Silsileh gate road in the Old City after stabbing an Israeli soldier.
16/6/2017- Three Palestinian men from the village of Der Abu Mash’al northwest of Ramallah were martyred after carrying out a stabbing and shooting attack in Jerusalem. They are: Bara’ Ibrahim Saleh, 18, Adel Ahmad Ankoosh, 18, and Usama Ahmad Ata, 19.
20/6/2017- Martyr Baha’ Emad Samir Hirbawi, 23, from the village of Ezaryeh east of Jerusalem was shot dead by the occupation forces at Jaba’ checkpoint under the pretext of attempting a stabbing attack.
14/7/2017- Three Palestinian men from the village of Um Al-Fahem in the 1948 lands were martyred during an armed clash with the occupation forces in Al-Aqsa Mosque. They are: Mohammad Ahmad Mohammad Jbareen, 29, Mohammad Hamed Abdellatif Jbareen, 19, and Mohammad Ahmad Mifdel Jbareen, 19.
21/7/2017- Martyr Mohammad Mahmoud Sharaf, 18, was shot dead by a settler near Ras Al-Amoud settlement in Silwan after the Friday Noon Prayer, and Mohammad Hasan Abu Ghannam, 21, was martyred during clashes in the village of Al-Tur while Mohammad Mahmoud Khalaf, 17, was martyred during clashes in the village of Abu Dis.
22/7/2017- Martyrs Yousef Abbas Kashour, 24, was shot dead during clashes in Abu Dis.
27/7/2017- Martyr Mohammad Kanaan Khatib, 25, was shot dead during clashes in Hizma village.
15/12/2017- Martyr Basel Mustafa Ibrahim from the village of Anata in Jerusalem was shot dead during clashes in the village.
The occupation authorities continue to detain the body of the Jerusalemite Martyr Musbah Abu Sbeih since October 2016, and Martyr Fadi Qunbar since January 2017.
Arrests
The occupation authorities continued executing arrests in the city of Jerusalem in 2017, and arrested hundreds of young men, women and children. The information center monitored the arrest of 2466 people from the city of Jerusalem including 720 minors, 26 elderly, 54 children under the age of responsibility (12 years) and 88 females.
The center explained that among the female detainees were 6 minors and 4 elderly. The youngest detainee was a 6-year old child from Silwan followed by a 7-year old from Shu’fat.
Muslims from Britain, Turkey and Uzbekistan were also among the detainees.
The geographical distribution of arrests was as follows: Silwan (460), Esawyeh (383), Old City of Jerusalem (368), Al-Tur (204), Shu’fat Refugee Camp and the village of Anata (138), Jabal Al-Mukabber (101), Wad Al-Joz (63), Shu’fat (47), Sur Baher (46), Beit Hanina (42), Kufor Aqab (36), Al-Sowaneh (32), Sheikh Jarrah (24), Um Tuba (3)and Beit Safafa (2) in addition to 517 arrests executed inside Al-Aqsa and at its gates as well as the streets of Jerusalem and the Old City during the popular rise that came against the metal detectors and Trump’s announcement to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
The center explained that the month of December witnessed the highest number of detainees (432) followed by July (425) and April (222).
Deportation and Isolation
The Israeli occupation authorities continued to distance the policy of deporting people from Jerusalem and isolating them from Al-Aqsa Mosque. The center monitored the isolation of 170 citizens from Al-Aqsa, including 14 minors and 15 women while 68 people were deported from the Old City, and 16 from the entire city of Jerusalem and 6 citizens were prevented from entering the West Bank. The deportation and isolation orders varied between 5 days and 6 months.
Demolishing 116 establishments
The occupation authorities continued to demolish residential, commercial and agricultural structures in Jerusalem under the pretext of building without a permit. The Jerusalem Municipality also forced Jerusalemites to execute demolition orders by themselves, after threatening them with actual imprisonment and imposing heavy fines, in addition to forcing them to pay the demolition fee. On the other hand, the occupation municipality do not giver Jerusalemites building permits and impose impossible conditions on them in addition to the huge amounts that accompany the licensing procedures, which could last for many years.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center monitored the demolition of 116 structures (some of them under construction) in the city of Jerusalem and its suburbs during the past year. Demolitions were carried out by the occupation municipality: 12 residential buildings, 39 houses, 19 commercial establishments, 16 barracks livestock, 2 residential barracks, 7 fences, 4 farms, 6 stores and 2 parking spaces.
The center explained that among the demolished structures were 27 that were self-demolished by their owners following orders from the occupation’s courts.
The center also pointed out that the house of Martyr Fadi Qunbar was among the houses that were demolished, as it was closed with cement.
As a result of the demolitions, 241 Palestinians were displaced, including 107 children under the age of 18.
The Israeli municipality carried out the highest number of demolitions in the village of Esawyeh where 27 structures were demolished, followed by Silwan 25, Jabal Mukabber 24, Beit Hanina 19, and demolitions in all other neighborhoods.
The Israeli occupation authorities also continued to distribute demolition notices on residential houses, agricultural and commercial facilities on the pretext of unlicensed construction in all neighborhoods of Jerusalem. The authorities distributed notices to demolish the whole neighborhood of Kamel in Kufor Aqab north of Jerusalem which includes 6 buildings and a mosque under the pretext of building without a permit, and in order to open a street in the same area.
Seizing property in Jerusalem
In 2017, the settlement societies seized the house of Ayoub Shamasneh in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem claiming that Jews owned the house before 1948. Ayoub, 83, his 74-year-old wife, their son Mohammad, his wife and six children were all displaced. And the beginning of last year, settlers also seized a warehouse owned by Sub Laban family, and a shop belonging to the family of Abu Mayaleh towards the end of the year; both structures are in Oqbat Al-Khaldyeh in the Old City of Jerusalem after a the families had fought in courts to preserve their property.
The occupation authorities confiscated a piece of land in the village of Silwan, under the pretext of "gardening and public utility".
Settlers also took control of "a residential building, a room, a yard and stores" in the village of Silwan, after being “leaked” to them by the owners.
Suppression of religious and national events
The Israeli occupation authorities continued to suppress the freedom of opinion and suppressed Jerusalemites in many cases in the city. The Information Center monitored the suppression of various cultural events and public activities.
The center pointed out that the popular uprising that accompanied the placement of "metal detectors" at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, suppressed by the occupation authorities in an attempt to prevent sit-ins and prayers at the gates of al-Aqsa. The occupation authorities also suppressed all activities that started in Jerusalem after Trump's decision.
The occupation authorities also suppressed marches and sit-ins in Jerusalem during the prisoners' hunger strike in April and May, both in Damascus Gate and at the Red Cross headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.
The Israeli intelligence services also prevented the organization of seminars and cultural, artistic and sporting events in Jerusalem under the pretext of sponsorship by the Palestinian Authority or by Hamas. The occupation forces stormed the cultural centers, hotels and even playgrounds, where the events were scheduled, and closed them with military orders.
Violating the sanctity of the dead
Cemeteries in Jerusalem were not excluded from the occupation’s assaults and violations. In the cemetery of Al-Rahmeh Gate, adjacent to the eastern wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Israeli occupation authorities cut down trees to complete the control of new areas in favor of the "Biblical Gardens" project around the walls of the Old City. The occupation authorities target the area of Al-Rahmeh Gate cemetery, and had previously confiscated parts of it for the "paths of settlers and tourists", and prevented the burial in the seized area; they also destroyed a number of graves.
Israeli bulldozers also demolished part of the wall of the Martyrs' Cemetery in Jerusalem and began to raze the land in order to build biblical gardens and special paths for the settlers and the settlement of the western slopes of the Mount of Olives. The cemetery is an extension of the Yusufiya cemetery in Damascus Gate, where hundreds of Arab soldiers died in the 1967 war.
In West Jerusalem, during the excavations of "infrastructure" in the street adjacent to the cemetery of Ma’man Allah, a large burial place and the remains of dead Muslim were found (bones and skulls), confirming that the place is an extension of Ma’man Allah Cemetery, which was seized and used for several projects, "Hotels, gardens, restaurants, and the forgiveness museum as well as streets without any regard for the sanctity of the dead. Only a few graves remain in the cemetery.
Violation to the right of education
The educational process in Jerusalem was also affected by the occupation in 2017. In February, the Israeli occupation authorities closed down the elementary school in the village of Sur Baher under the pretext of "the intention to teach provocative materials that contradict with the existence of Israel and apply to the philosophy of Hamas. The occupation authorities deprived 230 students from kindergarten to sixth grade, from receiving their education during last year’s school-year.
In November, the Israeli occupation forces stormed the school of Zahwa Al-Quds in the neighborhood of Beit Hanina while classes were in session. The school principal and three teachers were arrested after a large search operation at the school.
At the beginning of the current school year, the occupation authorities tried to obstruct the educational process in Al-Aqsa schools, which are schools inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque, by prohibiting the entry of textbooks for distribution to students under the pretext of being published by the Palestinian Authority and the presence of the PA’s logo and Palestinian flag. The school’s administration was forced to distribute the books in a parking lot outside the gates of Al-Aqsa.
The Israeli occupation forces also stormed Dar Al-Aytam School in Old Jerusalem several times.
In the villages of Esawyeh, Al-Tur and Ras al-Amoud neighborhood, the Israeli occupation authorities were deliberately present in the vicinity of schools during the morning or afternoon hours when students leave their schools.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center monitored the arrest of 24 students from their classrooms, while on their way to school or after school.
Collective punishment
The Israeli occupation authorities continued to impose collective punishment on Jerusalemites through the implementation of incursions into villages and Jerusalem neighborhoods and the abuse of their residents through storming into their and commercial establishments, the imposition of fines and violations, the random use of rubber bullets and bombs and the closure of roads and main streets.
During the year 2017, four Jerusalemites lost one eye each after being targeted by rubber bullets, including a woman who was injured while on the balcony of her home in Esawyeh, two boys and a young man (3 from Esawyeh and one from Silwan).
In the middle of June, the occupation forces, following the operation of the martyrs of "Deir Abu Mashaal" imposed a tight siege on the area of Damascus Gate and the streets adjacent to it and closed the area for two days and prevented the movement of vehicles and public buses, and deported dozens of residents of the West Bank The West Bank through dedicated buses and prevented their presence in Jerusalem, on the grounds that they do not have legal permits to enter.
In July, the Israeli occupation authorities suppressed the funeral of the young Ali Abu Gharbieh from Al-Sowaneh neighborhood, who drowned in the Sea of Galilee. The forces attacked the funeral, assaulted mourners with rubber bullets and grenades, and launched a large-scale arrest campaign after a funeral for a group of young men from the neighborhood.
Al-Maqased Hospital was also subject to violations. The occupation forces stormed its yards and buildings several times and threw bombs in its area and at its entrances. The ambulance crews were also pursued by the Israeli occupation forces, which obstructed their work and prevented them from reaching the scene.
Journalists were also subjected to many violations, including arrests and detention of identity cards, press and beatings, prevention of filming and denial of access to the scene of the event. Many journalists were injured due to various assaults.
