Ahead of Ramadan, a campaign of arrests and deportations targets Jerusalemites and Endowment employees at Al-Aqsa Mosque
The Israeli occupation authorities are escalating their campaign against young residents of Jerusalem by increasing summonses and arrests, and issuing orders to prevent them from entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. This reflects a systematic effort to depopulate the mosque of worshippers, guards, and staff, particularly as Ramadan approaches.
Recently, there has been a noticeable increase in efforts to target employees of the Islamic Waqf Department, released prisoners, and Jerusalem activists, clearly aiming to diminish the Palestinian presence in the mosque.
Targeting Islamic Endowment Department employees:
Occupation forces detained Al-Aqsa Mosque guard Fadi Alayan from Al-Issawiya, holding him for several hours before releasing him. They then issued an order banning him from the mosque for one week, with the option to extend it for several months.
They detained Waqf employee Hussam Sider as he entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. He was then released on the condition that he is barred from the mosque for one week, with the potential for the ban to be extended.
The occupation authorities banned an employee of the Islamic Endowment, Hamza Khalaf, from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque for six months, sending him the order via WhatsApp.
Last night, occupation forces detained the Endowment employees Abdul Rahman Al-Sharif and Mahdi Al-Abbasi after storming their homes. The Magistrate's Court later decided to release them on certain conditions. However, the police requested that the ruling be frozen to allow an appeal, resulting in their detention being extended until tomorrow. A session has also been scheduled in the District Court.
Targeting released prisoners and Jerusalemites
• Fayez Sha’ban: Deported for six months.
• Released prisoner Mohammad Samih Al-Abbasi: Deported for six months.
• Released prisoner Alaa Al-Qaq: Arrested after his home was raided, and released on condition of being banned from Al-Aqsa Mosque for one week, with the possibility of renewal.
• Mohammad Al-A’war: Arrested after his home was raided, and released on condition of being banned from Al-Aqsa Mosque for one week, with the possibility of renewal.
• Released prisoner Hisham Al-Bashiti: Arrested after his home was raided, and released on condition of being banned from Al-Aqsa Mosque for one week, with the possibility of renewal.
• Omar Al-Za’anin: Arrested after his home was raided, and released on condition of being banned from Al-Aqsa Mosque for one week, with the possibility of renewal.
• Released prisoner Alaa Abu Tayeh: Summoned for interrogation and released on condition of being banned from Al-Aqsa Mosque for one week, with the possibility of renewal.
• Released prisoner Amjad Ali Al-Abbasi: Summoned for interrogation and released on condition of being banned from Al-Aqsa Mosque for one week, with the possibility of renewal.
• Released prisoner Amin al-Abbasi “Abeesan”: Summoned, interrogated, and released on condition of being banished for one week, with the possibility of renewal.
• Released prisoner Mohammad Zalloum: Summoned, interrogated, and released on condition of being banished for one week, with the possibility of renewal.
• Released prisoner Saed al-A’war: Summoned, interrogated, and released on condition of being banished for one week, with the possibility of renewal.
• Young man Qusai Abu Turki: Summoned and released on condition of being banished for one week, with the possibility of renewal.
• Released prisoner Mufid al-Abbasi: Summoned and released on condition of being banished for one week, with the possibility of renewal.
Ongoing summonses and investigations
- Judge Sheikh Iyad al-Abbasi: Summoned to the al-Qishla police station for questioning tomorrow.
- Released prisoner Jamil al-Abbasi: Summoned to the al-Qishla police station for questioning tomorrow.
- Nihad al-Abbasi: Summoned to the al-Qishla police station for questioning tomorrow.
The summonses for young men and women persisted at a checkpoint in Ras al-Amoud, Silwan. Those called received calls from intelligence agencies instructing them to appear immediately at different locations around Jerusalem. When they arrived, officers waited in police vehicles to hand out the summonses.
According to monitoring by the Wadi Hilweh Information Center – Jerusalem, the past two weeks have witnessed a significant escalation in expulsion orders from the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. These orders have targeted Jerusalemites and Palestinians from within Israel, as well as women, the elderly, Endowment employees, and young people, in a clear attempt to reduce the number of worshippers and weaken the Palestinian presence at the mosque during the holy month of Ramadan.
This escalation is part of a policy aimed at imposing further restrictions on worshippers and creating an atmosphere conducive to more incursions and violations during the holy month.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem recorded more than 135 deportation orders (from Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Old City, and bans on entering the West Bank) during January.
