Day 89: Jerusalem during “Al-Aqsa Flood” Operation
On the 89th day of “Al-Aqsa Flood” Operation, a comprehensive strike took place in the city of Jerusalem, and the occupation municipality crews carried out the demolition of a building in the village of Jabal Al-Mukabber, while the siege of Al-Aqsa Mosque and settlers’ raids on it continued, and arrests were carried out in the city.
A comprehensive strike
A comprehensive commercial strike took place in the city of Jerusalem, denouncing the assassination of the Vice-President of the Islamic Movement "Hamas", Saleh Al-Arouri, and 6 others, in Beirut.
Violent confrontations, demolitions and displacement
On Wednesday morning, large forces from the special units, the police, the border guards, and the “sniffer dog” unit, with the support of the drones, accompanied by the occupation municipality’s crews and vehicles, stormed the Al-Jdaira neighborhood in the village of Jabal Al-Mukabber, completely blockading its entrances and preventing access to it.
Large forces stormed the Bashir family building, blew up the door of the home of Iyad Bashir, and began assaulting those present by beating and pushing them.
Aisha Iyad Shqairat explained that the forces stormed her house after smashing its door. She said: “I tried to protect my younger sister. My mother has been with my brother in the hospital for two days. Suddenly they stormed the house. They attacked us with sound bombs and pepper spray.”
Aisha added: “They attacked the Palestinian flag, and I was beaten.”
What happened with the young woman Aisha, happened with all her family members, neighbors, and residents of the entire neighborhood. The forces flooded the neighborhood with tear gas bombs and fired rubber bullets and sound bombs, in addition to severely beating and shoving the residents. During this, they carried out arrests of young men from the neighborhood.
Confrontations broke out in the entire neighborhood, and many residents suffered from suffocation and bruises, and the confrontations continued for several hours.
In the afternoon hours, municipal bulldozers and vehicles were able to reach the demolition site, and during that time they confiscated vehicles and destroyed some of them with a bulldozer, under the pretext of “opening the road to reach the demolition site.”
Iyad Bashir explained that the demolition took place without prior warning, since the demolition decision was put on hold until next March, and during this period he was working to issue a license for the building. The municipality and the forces refused to consider the freezing decision, and he tried to go to court in the morning, but to no avail.
Shqairat added that the area of the residential apartments is 250 square meters, in addition to the building’s parking area of 150 square meters which is roofed, and a grocery store on the ground floor, as the municipality displaced 20 people, most of whom were children.
He pointed out that a building violation fee of about 100,000 shekels was imposed on him, in addition to costs for the courts, lawyers, and licensing procedures about 10 years ago.
The police said in a statement that they arrested 11 Jerusalemites from Jabal Al-Mukabber.
The forces severely beat the detainees with rifle butts, kicks, and sticks. Some of them were injured and lost consciousness. The forces detained the detainees for a while on the ground while they were tied and blindfolded.
The Information Center learned that among the detainees are: Iyad Shqairat, Mohammad Shqairat, Hussam Shqairat, Mohammad Mashal, Saleh Shqairat, Amir Shqairat, Saif al-Din Salhout, Qusai Shqairat, Bahaa Shqairat, Musa Shqairat, and Nidal Shqairat.
Closure with cement cubes
In the evening hours, the forces stormed the Al-Jdaira neighborhood and closed its entrance with cement cubes.
Field arrests were then carried out, after the young men were stopped and their identities were examined.
Siege of Al-Aqsa
Since the seventh of last October, the occupation authorities have imposed a siege on Al-Aqsa and imposed restrictions on entry to it, preventing young people and allowing a small number of elderly people and women to enter it.
Police forces continue to be stationed and barriers are placed at all gates of Al-Aqsa.
152 settlers also stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque, through the Dung Gate, the keys of which have been controlled by the occupation authorities since the occupation of Jerusalem.
Renewal of administrative detention
For the third time in a row, the occupation authorities renewed the administrative detention of the Jerusalemite MP deported from Jerusalem, Ahmed Attoun, and the former Minister of Jerusalem, Khaled Abu Arafa, for a period of 4 months.
The forces arrested MP Attoun and Abu Arafa last May, and transferred them to administrative detention, and renewed them for a third time today.
Storming Beit Safafa
For the second day in a row, forces stormed the Alayan family’s land in the Tabalia neighborhood in the village of Beit Safafa, and arrested Ahmed Alayan.
Yesterday, the forces arrested Ahmed Alayan and 5 members of his family, while they refused the confiscation of their lands adjacent to their homes for settlement projects, and released them yesterday, then returned today and arrested him.
Raids and arrests
The raids on towns and neighborhoods in Jerusalem continued, and sporadic arrests were carried out from the city.
