Violation of the sanctity of the dead: A father and his son were arrested after protesting the desecration of their family's grave at Bab al-Rahma Cemetery
Israeli occupation forces arrested the Jerusalemite Asem Joudeh and his son Ahmed on Friday after assaulting them while attending a child's funeral in the Bab al-Rahma cemetery adjacent to Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Eyewitnesses reported that the soldiers stood at the grave of the Joudeh family at the entrance to the cemetery, prompting objections from Asem and his son, who demanded that the soldiers move away from the grave out of respect for the dead. The forces refused and severely beat them before arresting them and transferring them to the Lions Gate police station.
During the detention, ambulance crews were called to examine Asem Joudeh (in his sixties), who had sustained facial injuries and pain throughout his body. About an hour later, his son Ahmed was transferred to the Al-Qishla police station, while his father was taken for treatment. The police issued him a summons for questioning on Sunday.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center reported that the police later released Ahmed on the condition that he be kept away from Al-Aqsa Mosque for a month, placed under house arrest, and be prohibited from contacting his father for a week.
In a related development, the occupation forces continued to impose strict restrictions on worshippers' entry to Al-Aqsa Mosque for Friday prayers, a recurring practice, particularly during the dawn and noon prayers.
The occupation authorities also issued a decision banning freed prisoner Ibrahim Al-Abbasi from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque for three months.
