Targeting the cultural scene, word and image in Jerusalem
As part of targeting the cultural situation in the city of Jerusalem and fighting the word and image, the occupation authorities raided bookshops in the city, confiscated books and arrested their owners under the pretext of selling "incitement books".
On February 2, the occupation forces stormed the “Al-Quds Bookstore”, located in the Khan al-Zeit market in the Old City of Jerusalem, searched and vandalized its contents, then arrested its owner and closed the bookshop for 30 days, and posted the closure order on the door of the shop.
The police statement said that the bookstore sells books that contain "incitement content", including works by figures classified as "terrorists".
This evening, the occupation authorities released the owner of the bookstore, Hisham Al-Ekramawi, after an 11-day detention.
On February 9, the occupation forces stormed the branches of the “Scientific Bookshop”in the city of Jerusalem, searched them, examined the books, the contents of the shops, and the storage, and translated many books, newspapers, and research using the "Google" application. They then arrested two of the owners, Mahmoud Mona and Ahmed Mona.
The forces confiscated books in several languages from the bookshop, and claimed that the books contained provocative content, noting that they confiscated books that contained the Palestinian flag or that dealt with the Palestinian issue, in English, German, and French.
The police said in a statement that during the search, books of a Palestinian nationalist nature were seized, including a "children's coloring book" titled "From the River to the Sea."
It is noteworthy that the book described as provocative and specifically mentioned by the police in its statement is “Coloring Palestine”.
A session was held to extend the detention of the owners of the Scientific Bookshop, where their detention was extended until tomorrow to complete the investigation on suspicion of "disturbing public order".
The Scientific Bookshop in Jerusalem was established nearly 40 years ago, and it is one of the most important Palestinian bookshops in the city of Jerusalem, and a meeting place for intellectuals, diplomats, journalists and researchers.
What is happening in the Jerusalem bookstores in terms of closing and confiscating books is part of a series of persecutions in the city. During the past years, the occupation authorities have banned the teaching of the Palestinian curriculum in Jerusalem, and have required schools to teach distorted Palestinian books "reprinted" under the supervision of teams from the Israeli Ministry of Education and the municipality, where lessons and pictures are deleted or replaced. Even the verses and hadiths in the lessons have been deleted in several books, and the forces have stormed several schools and summoned principals and teachers.
The occupation authorities have also, over the past years, pursued various media outlets, issuing decisions to ban various media outlets such as "local and Arab satellite channels" and local networks, raiding production companies and arresting journalistis.
Even cultural events were not spared from being banned in the city of Jerusalem, as over the past years the occupation authorities have banned many seminars, conferences and workshops in Jerusalem, under various pretexts and excuses.
The forces have also arrested hundreds of Jerusalemites on suspicion of "incitement" on social media, and have filed indictments against many of them and issued various sentences.
