Day 82: Jerusalem during “Al-Aqsa Flood” Operation
On the 82nd day of “Al-Aqsa Flood” Operation, a settler stormed the Bab al-Rahma cemetery, slaughtered and hung a “donkey’s head” between the graves, while the occupation authorities continued their siege on Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the occupation municipality continued to force Jerusalemites to self-demolish their facilities under the pretext of “building without a license.” Meanwhile, arrests and raids into towns and neighborhoods in the city of Jerusalem continued.
Desecration in the Bab al-Rahma cemetery
In the afternoon hours, a settler stormed the “Bab al-Rahma” cemetery, located at the eastern wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque from the outside, and hung a “donkey’s head” among the Muslim graves, several meters away from the Al-Aqsa wall.
Subsequently, the occupation forces stormed the cemetery and deployed inside it. The police said that they arrested the settler and transferred him for investigation, noting that they found an axe with him. They also said that they arrested the settler who drove him to the place.
The Council of Islamic Endowments, Affairs and Holy Places in Jerusalem... condemns
The Council of Islamic Endowments, Affairs and Holy Places in Jerusalem denounced the slaughter of a donkey by a Jewish extremist inside the Bab al-Rahma cemetery on the eastern wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the hanging of the donkey’s head on the graves of Muslims, near the graves of the venerable companions “Obada ibn al-Samit and Shaddad ibn Aws”, may God be pleased with them both.
The Council affirmed that what happened was a provocation to the feelings of Muslims around the world and in clear extremism and a dangerous desecration of one of the most prominent historical Islamic cemeteries in the city of Jerusalem, which is filled with the remains of all the people of the city, prominent scholars, righteous people, mujahideen, and martyrs.
The Council warned in a statement of the consequences of these heinous actions, which reflect the depth of hatred these extremists have toward others in the Holy City, reaching the point of committing such shameful actions against the sanctity of Muslim graves.
The Council called for the need to hold these extremists accountable, and to stop the tampering and vandalism that went beyond people and stones to affect the sanctity of graves and the dead in the cemeteries of this city.
Continuing siege... and settler incursions
For the third month in a row - since the seventh of October - the occupation authorities impose their siege on Al-Aqsa, imposing severe restrictions on the gates, and preventing entry to it except for Endowment employees and a small number of worshipers, most of whom are elderly and women, amid the presence of forces and checkpoints at the gates of Al-Aqsa.
90 settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, through the Dung Gate, guarded by the occupation police, and they prayed during the storming.
The forces arrested Al-Aqsa guard, Mohammad Al-Ayoubi, while working in Al-Aqsa, then released him after interrogating him.
Demolition and displacement
Self-demolition operations continued in the city of Jerusalem, and the Wadi Hilweh Information Center documented 3 demolition operations of residential and commercial facilities in the city (Silwan, Jabal Al-Mukabber, and Beit Safafa), under the pretext of building without a permit.
The center explained that the Abu Rajab family was forced to demolish 3 under-construction apartments in the Al-Shayah area in the city of Jerusalem.
The family explained that they began building the houses 5 months ago, and each apartment has an area of approximately 60 square meters, and the municipality issued the final demolition decision last month.
In the village of Jabal Al-Mukabber, the municipality forced a family to demolish their 40-square-meter house, noting that the construction took place 9 years ago, and violations and fines were imposed on the family.
In Beit Safafa, a family was forced to self-demolish its commercial facility.
Joint crews from the municipality and the police stormed the village of Issawiya, issued notices and summonses to follow up with the municipality, and also raided many homes and took pictures them.
The forces continued to deploy in Jerusalem and set up checkpoints. They arrested a young woman from the city and referred her for investigation.
