Continued targeting of Palestinian leaders: A decision to ban the Minister of Jerusalem from entering the West Bank
On Monday, the occupation authorities delivered a decision to Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Ashraf al-A’war banning him from entering the West Bank for six months.
The Jerusalem Governorate reported that Israeli intelligence summoned Minister al-A’war to the "Rooms 4" interrogation center west of Jerusalem for questioning regarding "engaging in activities on behalf of the Palestinian National Authority" and handed him a decision banning him from entering the West Bank.
According to the decision issued by the commander of the Central Command or his representative, the ban was imposed under the security instructions known as "advance text" related to "Judea and Samaria" during the 1995 state of emergency. The text of the decision stated that Minister al-A’war "carries out activities affiliated with the Palestinian Authority that harm Israel's sovereignty in the Middle East and harm state security."
Minister al-A’war assumed his position on March 31, 2024, after President Mahmoud Abbas approved the ministerial lineup for the nineteenth Palestinian government headed by Dr. Mohammad Mustafa.
The decision to ban Minister al-A’war from entering the West Bank will hinder his work in all Palestinian cities and prevent him from reaching his office in the area of Al-Dahiya north of Jerusalem.
The targeting of Minister al-A’war comes within the context of a systematic Israeli policy targeting Jerusalemite leaders, as is the case with Jerusalem Governor Adnan Ghaith, who has been subjected to successive decisions since assuming his duties in 2018. He remains banned from entering the West Bank and has been under house arrest in his home in the town of Silwan since August 2022, following an indictment filed by the Israeli prosecution against him, which included "violating the decision to ban him from entering the West Bank." The governor is also prohibited from traveling and participating in any events within Jerusalem.
