September 2016: Three Martyrs…arresting 153 Palestinians…and demolishing 12 establishments
Wadi Hilweh Information Center issued its monthly report for September 2016 in which it monitored the Israeli violations in the city of Jerusalem during July 2016 as the Israeli authorities carried out series of arrests against Jerusalemites in the city in addition to the demolition of several commercial and residential establishments under the pretext of “building without a permit”.
Three Martyrs…and continuing to detain the body of one of them
The occupation forces murdered three young men in September under the pretext of carrying out attacks against Israeli soldiers. On the 5th of last month, the occupation forces opened fire towards a Palestinian vehicle in the streets of Shu’fat refugee camp concurrently when the forces raided the streets of the refugee camp to execute arrests. The occupation authorities rapidly issued a statement claiming the driver attempted to run-over Israeli soldiers who opened fire towards the vehicle and injured 25-year old Ali Tayseer Nimer (driver) and murdered 27-year old Mustafa Talal Nimer who was in the passenger seat. Ali and the Martyr’s fiancé declined the occupation’s claims and the Israeli intelligence confessed on the next day that a mistake was made and the young men was killed by mistake as he did not attempt a run-over attack. The authorities apologized for their mistake and explained that Ali Nimer was driving an unlicensed vehicle and did not have a driving license. Despite killing him by mistake, the occupation authorities detained his body for nearly one week in their freezers before releasing him to his family.
On the 6th of September, the occupation forces murdered 28-year old Jordanian Saeed Hayel Amro in the area of Damascus Gate in Jerusalem after opening fire towards him. Recordings of surveillance cameras showed occupation soldiers present in the area of the accident and revealed the possibility of arresting Amro instead of shooting him; he was chanting “God is Great” and had a knife in his hand. The authorities detained the Martyr’s body for two days and then released him to the Jordanian side.
On the 30th of September, the occupation forces shot 28-year old Nasib Emran Abu Meizar under the pretext of stabbing a soldier at Qalandia checkpoint north of Jerusalem. The forces prevented the Red Crescent staff from reaching the injured young man and left him bleeding on the ground without providing him with any treatment; Israeli medical staff only treated the injured soldier; the Martyr’s body is still detained in the occupation’s freezers.
Al-Aqsa Mosque
During September, 1114 settlers broke into the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque during the morning and afternoon break-in sessions and through Dung Gate (one of the gates of the Old City) that is controlled by the Israeli authorities since the occupation of Jerusalem. Breaking into Al-Aqsa is part of the “foreign tourism” program and takes place under the protection of Israeli police and Special Forces; break-ins take place every day except for Fridays and Saturdays.
On September 9th, extremist member of the Israeli Knesset Yehuda Glick practiced his religious rituals near Al-Qataneen Gate which overlooks the Dome of the Rock. Bodyguards accompanied Glick as well as Israeli police. This came only two days after the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, confirmed the necessity to prevent members of the Knesset and ministers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque during Jewish holidays.
On September 16th, dozens of Muslims were prevented from reaching Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform the Friday Prayer after the Old City was closed following the Martyrdom of the Saeed Amro; young men prayed at the gates of the Old City of Jerusalem.
The occupation authorities isolated 11 Jerusalemites from Al-Aqsa Mosque during September. Among those isolated were two minors, one of Al-Aqsa guards and a woman; they were isolated for periods between two weeks and 6 months.
The occupation’s court sentenced 30-year old Fadi Ali Mohammad Alayan who is a guard at Al-Aqsa Mosque for 11 months of actual imprisonment and a 1500-NIS fine after convicting him of confronting settlers who broke into Al-Aqsa courtyards.
Arresting 153 Jerusalemites
The occupation authorities continued executing arrests in the city of Jerusalem during September. Wadi Hilweh Information Center monitored the arrest of 153 Palestinians from Jerusalem including 5 women, 37 minors, 6 children under the age of responsibility (12 years) and one old man.
The geographical distribution of arrest was as follows: Esawyeh 44, Shu’fat refugee camp 39, Silwan 27, Old City of Jerusalem 14, Al-Tur 7, two from each of Jabal Al-Mukabber, Sur Baher and Wad Al-Joz, 3 from Kufor Aqab, 3 from Al-Aqsa Mosque, Anata 4 and one from Beit Hanina in addition to several other arrests executed in the city.
Among the detainees was 20-year old Ayman Hasan Kurd from the neighborhood of Ras Al-Amoud who carried out a stabbing attack against two Israeli policemen on September 9th. Kurd was critically injured and was left bleeding on the ground for nearly half an hour without being treated while the two injured policemen received all the attention from medical crews. Few days after the injury, it was revealed that Kurd is now paraplegic. Several absentia sessions were held for him at court while he was still receiving treatment at Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital.
Among the detainees were also two students (one from Silwan) that were arrested while heading to school in Ras Al-Amoud, Silwan. Occupation forces chased students who ran away fearing to get run-over; several children were bruised.
The forces also arrested a student from Al-Tur after raiding the school and firing a sound grenade inside its courtyard in order to execute the arrest.
Demolishing 12 establishments
Occupation authorities continued demolished residential, commercial and agricultural establishments in the city of Jerusalem under the pretext of building without a permit. Wadi Hilweh Information Center monitored the demolition of 12 establishments in September in which 5 them were carried out by their owners.
The center explained that among the establishments were 5 residential homes, 2 residential buildings (4 apartments), 2 agricultural establishments, a farm, a wall and the foundations of an under-construction home.
All the homes that were demolished have been built many years ago and are considered the only shelter for their owners. The occupation municipality displaced 44 Jerusalemites including 25 children in September.
A family of 8 individuals was also affected by the municipality’s policy after demolishing parts of their home.
The geographical distribution of demolitions was as follows: Two in each of Al-Tur, Beit Hanina, Esawyeh and Beit Safafa, and one establishment in each of the Old City of Jerusalem, Sur Baher, Silwan and Jabal Al-Mukabber.
Seizing a property in the Old City of Jerusalem
On September 15th, the occupation authorities evacuated the family of Mazen Qirresh from their home in the Old City of Jerusalem under the pretext of being an “unprotected tenant” after he had lost protection being the “fourth generation”. Qirresh explained that his family has been living in the property since 1936 with a leasing contract from a Palestinian family that owned the property before it was sold to settlers in 1986. According to the Israeli law, the family is considered a “protected tenant” for three generations, they are: Mustafa Qirresh (grandfather) and his sons (Kamal and Harbi and their wives) while the sons of Kamal and Harbi are considered a fourth generation and the protection ended after the death of another person from the third generation which was Kamal’s wife. The first eviction case was filed against the family in 1998 but Ateerat Cohanim was not able to evacuate them because his mother was still alive and was considered a protected tenant (3rd generation). After she passed away in 2009, the settlement organization renewed its request to evacuate the family from the property until it was seized last month. Eight individuals have been displaced from their home including a 3-year old child and a 2-month baby.
Checkpoints and raiding Jerusalemite neighborhoods
The occupation authorities continued their collective punishment policy against Jerusalemites and forced merchants in Jerusalem (Saleh Eddin Street and Sultan Suleiman Street) to close their shops after e the stabbing attack in the area of Herod’s Gate. They threatened to fine and arrest the merchants and closed the roads near the Old City of Jerusalem for nearly two hours and prevented locals from passing through. They also prevented students and employees from reaching their schools and work locations.
The occupation authorities continued establishing checkpoints in the streets of Jerusalem and at the entrances of Jerusalemite neighborhoods especially in the villages of Al-Tur, Silwan and Esawyeh. Also, the policy of constantly searching young men continued in the streets of Jerusalem.
With the beginning of the new school-year, occupation forces went back to being stationed in the schools’ streets especially in Ras Al-Amoud, Silwan and Al-Tur resulting in scattered clashes between students and occupation forces in the morning hours and after school hours.
