15 june 2016
The planning and building unit at Israeli municipality of Jerusalem endorsed a construction project to establish a three-story building in central Silwan to the south of the Aqsa Mosque.
Israeli Housing Minister Yoav Galant had previously declared that no settlement construction plans would be implemented in the city of Jerusalem at the current time, but this endorsement refutes his statement.
Israeli TV Channel Seven quoted the MK lawyer Eldad Rabinovitch as welcoming the decision along with the municipality’s other settlement projects in Silwan.
The Israeli occupation authorities have been establishing housing units in Occupied Jerusalem under different themes, while in reality they aim at emptying the holy city from Palestinian inhabitants.
Israeli Housing Minister Yoav Galant had previously declared that no settlement construction plans would be implemented in the city of Jerusalem at the current time, but this endorsement refutes his statement.
Israeli TV Channel Seven quoted the MK lawyer Eldad Rabinovitch as welcoming the decision along with the municipality’s other settlement projects in Silwan.
The Israeli occupation authorities have been establishing housing units in Occupied Jerusalem under different themes, while in reality they aim at emptying the holy city from Palestinian inhabitants.
Families of Palestinians slain by Israel called on Tuesday for bringing Israeli officials before the international criminal court for withholding dead bodies.
“We have doubts that our detained children are still alive and that their bodies have been withheld for unknown reasons.
Israel has to prove the opposite,” spokesperson for the popular campaign to release the bodies of slain Palestinians, Muhammad Alyan, said.
According to Alyan the families’ concerns that their children might be alive have been triggered by Israelis’ reluctance over the release of dead bodies along with their refusal of appeals to inspect the dead bodies by the Red Cross.
In addition no single medical report has been issued on the matter.
The families raised concerns that their children’s bodies might have been tortured to death by Israel and that some of their organs might have been eviscerated. The father of the slain Palestinian youth Hassan Manasreh could only identify his son through a sign in his foot, the activist stated.
Secretary General of the Palestinian Initiative, Mustafa al-Barghouti, said Israel’s detention of slain youths’ bodies represents a serious violation of human rights conventions and emanates from a policy of collective punishment against Palestinian families.
He harked back to the statement released by the Israeli war minister Avigdor Lieberman who said: “We are in a state of war with the families of slain Palestinians. We will continue to withhold the dead bodies.”
“What has been going on is an act of terrorism against the Palestinian people,” said Alyan, adding that Israel is stipulating new terms to prevent the families from attending their children’s funeral processions.
He said Israeli conditions to restrict the number of funeral attendants and prescribe the time and place of the burial raises concerns that the withheld Palestinians might have not died yet.
He called for appealing to the ICC to impeach the Israeli criminals. The bodies of at least eight Palestinians are still being withheld by the Israeli occupation authorities out of a total of 112 bodies detained since the start of the Jerusalem anti-occupation Intifada.
“We have doubts that our detained children are still alive and that their bodies have been withheld for unknown reasons.
Israel has to prove the opposite,” spokesperson for the popular campaign to release the bodies of slain Palestinians, Muhammad Alyan, said.
According to Alyan the families’ concerns that their children might be alive have been triggered by Israelis’ reluctance over the release of dead bodies along with their refusal of appeals to inspect the dead bodies by the Red Cross.
In addition no single medical report has been issued on the matter.
The families raised concerns that their children’s bodies might have been tortured to death by Israel and that some of their organs might have been eviscerated. The father of the slain Palestinian youth Hassan Manasreh could only identify his son through a sign in his foot, the activist stated.
Secretary General of the Palestinian Initiative, Mustafa al-Barghouti, said Israel’s detention of slain youths’ bodies represents a serious violation of human rights conventions and emanates from a policy of collective punishment against Palestinian families.
He harked back to the statement released by the Israeli war minister Avigdor Lieberman who said: “We are in a state of war with the families of slain Palestinians. We will continue to withhold the dead bodies.”
“What has been going on is an act of terrorism against the Palestinian people,” said Alyan, adding that Israel is stipulating new terms to prevent the families from attending their children’s funeral processions.
He said Israeli conditions to restrict the number of funeral attendants and prescribe the time and place of the burial raises concerns that the withheld Palestinians might have not died yet.
He called for appealing to the ICC to impeach the Israeli criminals. The bodies of at least eight Palestinians are still being withheld by the Israeli occupation authorities out of a total of 112 bodies detained since the start of the Jerusalem anti-occupation Intifada.
14 june 2016
After being prohibited from visitng the holy site, Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein has begun pushing to lift the ban on MKs
The Knesset Ethics Committee is set to discuss the current policy on Tuesday, which prohibits MKs from visiting the Temple Mount.
The discussion itself was brought about in light of police considerations to allow MKs to visit the site after the Muslim holiday of Ramadan.
The ban was put in place for Jewish and Arab MKs alike to ascend the mount on the grounds that it may heighten tensions.
Indeed, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had originally pushed for the police to implement the ban six months ago, fearing that vsits by public figures to the Temple Mount may encourage incitement of violence. The police directive was accompanied by a warning by the Knesset Ethics Committee, which stated that any MK who visits the Temple Mount would be punished.
Two weeks prior, Arab MKs petitioned Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein (Likud) requesting that they be allowed to visit the holy site during Ramadan. Their objection to the ban rested on grounds that it was inherently discriminatory, since it impinges on their freedom of movement unlike other citizens who are allowed to visit the Temple Mount.
Responding to their request, Edelstein consulted with Chief of Police Roni Alsheikh and Jerusalem District Commander Maj. Gen. Yoram Halevi on the matter. Following the discussions, Edelstein decided to work toward once again permitting MKs to visit the site.
The Knesset Ethics Committee is set to discuss the current policy on Tuesday, which prohibits MKs from visiting the Temple Mount.
The discussion itself was brought about in light of police considerations to allow MKs to visit the site after the Muslim holiday of Ramadan.
The ban was put in place for Jewish and Arab MKs alike to ascend the mount on the grounds that it may heighten tensions.
Indeed, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had originally pushed for the police to implement the ban six months ago, fearing that vsits by public figures to the Temple Mount may encourage incitement of violence. The police directive was accompanied by a warning by the Knesset Ethics Committee, which stated that any MK who visits the Temple Mount would be punished.
Two weeks prior, Arab MKs petitioned Speaker of the Knesset Yuli Edelstein (Likud) requesting that they be allowed to visit the holy site during Ramadan. Their objection to the ban rested on grounds that it was inherently discriminatory, since it impinges on their freedom of movement unlike other citizens who are allowed to visit the Temple Mount.
Responding to their request, Edelstein consulted with Chief of Police Roni Alsheikh and Jerusalem District Commander Maj. Gen. Yoram Halevi on the matter. Following the discussions, Edelstein decided to work toward once again permitting MKs to visit the site.
Hatem Abdilqader, official of Jerusalem’s file at Fatah Movement, warned of the Israeli continuation of violating the sanctity of the Aqsa Mosque.
The Israeli aggressive practices in Occupied Jerusalem are blatant escalation and "silent war", he said.
In a press statement on Monday, Abdulqader added that Israeli police have multiplied the numbers of settlers who storm the Aqsa Mosque's plazas since the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.
He also charged the police of turning a blind eye to settlers’ violations at the Muslims’ holy site.
On the other hand, Israeli police restrict the existence of Palestinians at the sacred place either by arrest, deportation or ban of entry, he said.
Abdulqader pointed out that the Israeli authorities try to obstruct the job of the Islamic Awqaf Department in its capacity as the only party responsible for serving the holy site.
The Israeli aggressive practices in Occupied Jerusalem are blatant escalation and "silent war", he said.
In a press statement on Monday, Abdulqader added that Israeli police have multiplied the numbers of settlers who storm the Aqsa Mosque's plazas since the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan.
He also charged the police of turning a blind eye to settlers’ violations at the Muslims’ holy site.
On the other hand, Israeli police restrict the existence of Palestinians at the sacred place either by arrest, deportation or ban of entry, he said.
Abdulqader pointed out that the Israeli authorities try to obstruct the job of the Islamic Awqaf Department in its capacity as the only party responsible for serving the holy site.
13 june 2016
Head of the Quds Center for Socio-economic Rights, Ziad al-Hamouri, slammed on Sunday Israeli ongoing efforts to distort Jerusalem’s Islamic character and swap its demographic idiosyncrasy in favor of illegal settlement.
Al-Hamouri said in a press statement that enhancing Jerusalem’s socio-economic situation is among the possible ways to respond to Israel’s Judaization schemes.
Al-Hamouri called for a comprehensive roadmap to defend Occupied Jerusalem against Israeli Judaization schemes. He warned of the so-called Israeli Zamosh project, a large part of which was already accomplished allegedly in order to boost tourism around Occupied Jerusalem.
The project culminated in the establishment of the so-called “Lower Jerusalem” beneath the Old City, with a new network of roads and means of transport that “have gobbled up everything and everybody,” in al-Hamouri’s terms.
The activist added that Muslim cemeteries have also been affected by Israel’s settlement activity and that Palestinian neighborhoods have been torn from limb to limb by a net of illegal settlement outposts engulfing Occupied Jerusalem from all sides.
He called for serious steps to meet Jerusalemites’ urgent needs and back them up throughout their struggle against the Israeli occupation. “We largely bet on our sense of belonging and deep-rootedness in Jerusalem’s soil to oust the Israeli colonizer,” al-Hamouri concluded.
Al-Hamouri said in a press statement that enhancing Jerusalem’s socio-economic situation is among the possible ways to respond to Israel’s Judaization schemes.
Al-Hamouri called for a comprehensive roadmap to defend Occupied Jerusalem against Israeli Judaization schemes. He warned of the so-called Israeli Zamosh project, a large part of which was already accomplished allegedly in order to boost tourism around Occupied Jerusalem.
The project culminated in the establishment of the so-called “Lower Jerusalem” beneath the Old City, with a new network of roads and means of transport that “have gobbled up everything and everybody,” in al-Hamouri’s terms.
The activist added that Muslim cemeteries have also been affected by Israel’s settlement activity and that Palestinian neighborhoods have been torn from limb to limb by a net of illegal settlement outposts engulfing Occupied Jerusalem from all sides.
He called for serious steps to meet Jerusalemites’ urgent needs and back them up throughout their struggle against the Israeli occupation. “We largely bet on our sense of belonging and deep-rootedness in Jerusalem’s soil to oust the Israeli colonizer,” al-Hamouri concluded.
The Islamic Endowment Department in occupied Jerusalem condemned the Israeli new measures in al-Aqsa Mosque which include imposing an Israeli security patrol inside it for the first time since 1967.
The Endowment Department held in a statement issued Sunday the Israeli authorities fully responsible over the drawbacks of this policy, calling on the Jordanian government to immediately intervene to stop Israeli provocations and violations.
The statement said that Israeli authorities declared “war” on al-Aqsa Mosque and imposed tight restrictions on the ongoing renovation works in the holy site.
Israeli police decided to allow security patrols inside al-Aqsa Mosque via the Israeli-controlled al-Magharibeh gate for the first time in 49 years without any coordination with the Endowment, according to the statement.
The Department pointed out that Israeli provocative break-ins into the holy shrine have notably escalated under military protection during the holy month of Ramadan.
Over 100 Israeli fanatic settlers stormed on early Sunday morning the holy al-Aqsa Mosque via the Maghareba Gate under heavy police escort. In a related development, the Israeli police arrested four members of al-Aqsa reconstruction staff on charges of protesting the break-ins.
Israel is seeking to impose a status quo in al-Aqsa Mosque and a complete control over it.
The Endowment Department held in a statement issued Sunday the Israeli authorities fully responsible over the drawbacks of this policy, calling on the Jordanian government to immediately intervene to stop Israeli provocations and violations.
The statement said that Israeli authorities declared “war” on al-Aqsa Mosque and imposed tight restrictions on the ongoing renovation works in the holy site.
Israeli police decided to allow security patrols inside al-Aqsa Mosque via the Israeli-controlled al-Magharibeh gate for the first time in 49 years without any coordination with the Endowment, according to the statement.
The Department pointed out that Israeli provocative break-ins into the holy shrine have notably escalated under military protection during the holy month of Ramadan.
Over 100 Israeli fanatic settlers stormed on early Sunday morning the holy al-Aqsa Mosque via the Maghareba Gate under heavy police escort. In a related development, the Israeli police arrested four members of al-Aqsa reconstruction staff on charges of protesting the break-ins.
Israel is seeking to impose a status quo in al-Aqsa Mosque and a complete control over it.
12 june 2016
The Arab League rejected the nomination of Israel to take the presidency of the UN General Assembly Sixth Counter-Terrorism Committee, which is concerned with combating terrorism.
The Arab League’s Secretary General, Nabil al-Arabi, notified the envoys and representatives of Arab states with the Arab position.
Al-Arabi said, in a statement on Sunday, that Israel carries out illegal actions including the establishment of the Separation Wall, violation of Palestinians’ rights, and arresting civilians.
He called the nomination of Israel for the presidency of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee a “big disaster for the UN”.
According to the protocol, the UN Committee's presidency is usually taken by alternation among groups and this year is the turn of the group of Western Europe which agreed on nominating Israel.
The Arab League’s Secretary General, Nabil al-Arabi, notified the envoys and representatives of Arab states with the Arab position.
Al-Arabi said, in a statement on Sunday, that Israel carries out illegal actions including the establishment of the Separation Wall, violation of Palestinians’ rights, and arresting civilians.
He called the nomination of Israel for the presidency of the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee a “big disaster for the UN”.
According to the protocol, the UN Committee's presidency is usually taken by alternation among groups and this year is the turn of the group of Western Europe which agreed on nominating Israel.
A report issued by Palestinian Prisoners Center documented 215 cases of arrest against Palestinian women including girls and minors by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) since the beginning of last October.
The arrested women include elderly women, mothers, and wives of prisoners. The media spokesman of the center, Riyad al-Ashqar, said that the number of the arrested women is 68.
They are being held in Hasharon and the new Damon Israeli jails. 11 out of the 68 female detainees were injured by Israeli gunfire and are suffering hard conditions.
The number also includes 18 minor girls and 4 others held under the illegal administrative detention with no trials or charges.
The report revealed that the IOF arrested 36 minors as well as 30 female Palestinians including journalists who were arrested for alleged Facebook incitement.
The detention conditions under which the female captives are held are very bad and tough. They do not have any privacy in light of the existence of security cameras all day and night. The jails where they are languishing lack life necessities.
They also complain about Israeli brutal measures such as deprivation of family visits, systematic inspection, and transfer via the unsuitable vehicle known as “the bosta”, the report highlighted.
The center asked the international institutions concerned with women affairs to intervene to protect the Palestinian women from Israeli crimes especially the unjustified shooting attacks, the cold-blooded killings, and the arbitrary detention.
The arrested women include elderly women, mothers, and wives of prisoners. The media spokesman of the center, Riyad al-Ashqar, said that the number of the arrested women is 68.
They are being held in Hasharon and the new Damon Israeli jails. 11 out of the 68 female detainees were injured by Israeli gunfire and are suffering hard conditions.
The number also includes 18 minor girls and 4 others held under the illegal administrative detention with no trials or charges.
The report revealed that the IOF arrested 36 minors as well as 30 female Palestinians including journalists who were arrested for alleged Facebook incitement.
The detention conditions under which the female captives are held are very bad and tough. They do not have any privacy in light of the existence of security cameras all day and night. The jails where they are languishing lack life necessities.
They also complain about Israeli brutal measures such as deprivation of family visits, systematic inspection, and transfer via the unsuitable vehicle known as “the bosta”, the report highlighted.
The center asked the international institutions concerned with women affairs to intervene to protect the Palestinian women from Israeli crimes especially the unjustified shooting attacks, the cold-blooded killings, and the arbitrary detention.
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In an interview with Israel’s Knesset Channel (the Israeli equivalent of CSPAN), the country’s chief Ashkenazi rabbi advocates building a Third Temple on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, arguing that it can be done without demolishing Al-Aqsa Mosque or the Dome of the Rock, according to +972 mag.
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Khalil al-Tafakji, expert of settlement affairs, said that the acceleration of settlement establishment within the project called Jerusalem 2020 which consists of 58,000 housing units threatens the Palestinian existence in Jerusalem.
In a press statement, Tafakji said that the project aims at expanding the Israeli municipality zone and cancelling the airport of Jerusalem in Qalandya as well as Judaizing the city of Occupied Jerusalem in order to pave the way for the establishment of the "Jewish State".
He pointed out that the construction of 15,000 settlement units in the vicinity of Qalandya aims at preventing the establishment of Jerusalem airport anticipated by the Palestinian independent state.
The project is a phase of the Israeli plan to get rid of the Arab residents in the city and to draw a new map of the occupied city of Jerusalem, Tafakji said.
In a press statement, Tafakji said that the project aims at expanding the Israeli municipality zone and cancelling the airport of Jerusalem in Qalandya as well as Judaizing the city of Occupied Jerusalem in order to pave the way for the establishment of the "Jewish State".
He pointed out that the construction of 15,000 settlement units in the vicinity of Qalandya aims at preventing the establishment of Jerusalem airport anticipated by the Palestinian independent state.
The project is a phase of the Israeli plan to get rid of the Arab residents in the city and to draw a new map of the occupied city of Jerusalem, Tafakji said.
The Islamic-Christian Commission in Support of Jerusalem and the Holy Sites said that breaking into the plazas of the Aqsa Mosque by over 100 settlers is a severe violation against the sanctity of the Mosque and the holy month of Ramadan as well.
The commission called for putting an end to such violations. In a statement, the commission pointed out that Israeli authorities allow settlers to violate the Aqsa and intensively perform Talmudic rituals within its vicinity during Muslims’ holy month of Ramadan.
Israel takes advantage of the international silence to escalate its violations, the statement highlighted. The Islamic-Christian Commission opined that the visit of the secretary general of the Arab League, Nabil al-Arabi, to Palestine next Monday will pose as an opportunity to get acquainted with the Israeli Judaization efforts in Occupied Jerusalem.
The Commission also called on the Arab League to pressure the UN Security Council in order to put an end to the Israeli brutal violations against the Aqsa Mosque.
The commission called for putting an end to such violations. In a statement, the commission pointed out that Israeli authorities allow settlers to violate the Aqsa and intensively perform Talmudic rituals within its vicinity during Muslims’ holy month of Ramadan.
Israel takes advantage of the international silence to escalate its violations, the statement highlighted. The Islamic-Christian Commission opined that the visit of the secretary general of the Arab League, Nabil al-Arabi, to Palestine next Monday will pose as an opportunity to get acquainted with the Israeli Judaization efforts in Occupied Jerusalem.
The Commission also called on the Arab League to pressure the UN Security Council in order to put an end to the Israeli brutal violations against the Aqsa Mosque.
Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, said that the Israeli policy of home demolition will not weaken Palestinians’ steadfastness.
It stressed that razing the family home of the detained minor Murad Edais at dawn on Saturday in al-Khalil was a war crime.
In a statement on Saturday, Hamas’s spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri charged the international community with responsibility for the Israeli violations.
He affirmed that the Jerusalem Intifada will last until deterring such crimes. Abu Zuhri expressed his Movement’s appreciation of the position of Yatta’s municipality president who declared offering a house for each family whose home gets demolished by the Israeli occupation forces in the town.
The Hamas spokesman also called for supporting the owners of demolished homes.
It stressed that razing the family home of the detained minor Murad Edais at dawn on Saturday in al-Khalil was a war crime.
In a statement on Saturday, Hamas’s spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri charged the international community with responsibility for the Israeli violations.
He affirmed that the Jerusalem Intifada will last until deterring such crimes. Abu Zuhri expressed his Movement’s appreciation of the position of Yatta’s municipality president who declared offering a house for each family whose home gets demolished by the Israeli occupation forces in the town.
The Hamas spokesman also called for supporting the owners of demolished homes.
11 june 2016
The Israeli occupation army on Friday continued to completely beleaguer, for the second day, about 120,000 Palestinian citizens in Yatta town, south of al-Khalil city.
According to municipal chief of the town Mousa Makhamreh, all the entrances and roads to the town had been blocked since Thursday with mounds of dirt and rocks.
"The closure of the town's entrances with dirt mounds would make things more difficult … If they were closed with military barriers, there would be a possible chance for negotiation for emergency cases such as the transport of patients," Makhamreh stated in press remarks on Friday.
He said that the Israeli occupation forces had carried out several raids on homes and arrests over the past two days in the town. Four Israelis were killed and several others were wounded last Wednesday when two residents of the southern West Bank town of Yatta carried out a shooting attack in a popular cafe in Tel Aviv.
On Thursday, the Israeli government started implementing sweeping measures to beef up security and restrict movement of Palestinians in what observers say is mass punishment. Within hours of the attack, the Israeli authorities revoked travel permits issued for 83,000 Palestinians from both the West Bank and Gaza Strip for the holy month of Ramadan and embarked on sealing off Yatta.
According to municipal chief of the town Mousa Makhamreh, all the entrances and roads to the town had been blocked since Thursday with mounds of dirt and rocks.
"The closure of the town's entrances with dirt mounds would make things more difficult … If they were closed with military barriers, there would be a possible chance for negotiation for emergency cases such as the transport of patients," Makhamreh stated in press remarks on Friday.
He said that the Israeli occupation forces had carried out several raids on homes and arrests over the past two days in the town. Four Israelis were killed and several others were wounded last Wednesday when two residents of the southern West Bank town of Yatta carried out a shooting attack in a popular cafe in Tel Aviv.
On Thursday, the Israeli government started implementing sweeping measures to beef up security and restrict movement of Palestinians in what observers say is mass punishment. Within hours of the attack, the Israeli authorities revoked travel permits issued for 83,000 Palestinians from both the West Bank and Gaza Strip for the holy month of Ramadan and embarked on sealing off Yatta.
Hamas Movement condemned the Israeli overnight mass arrest campaign across occupied West Bank, saying that it will not achieve its aims.
Such a campaign will never succeed to achieve its aims. It will only strengthen our people, the Movement said.
The Palestinian resistance group expressed dissatisfaction with PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s recent statement denouncing Tel Aviv anti-occupation attack.
"Israel's continued crimes and PA security coordination will not prevent our people from resisting Israeli forces and settlers’ crimes", the Movement added. Palestinian towns and cities in the occupied West Bank had witnessed at dawn Friday a mass raid and arrest campaign shortly after Israeli war minister declared a complete cordon on the West Bank.
On the other hand, Hamas Movement strongly denounced the "heinous" attack against the oldest-serving Palestinian prisoner in Israeli jails Nael Barghouthi’ house.
The Movement slammed the PA security forces’ failure in providing protection for Barghouthi’s house especially that it was attacked more than once by Israeli settlers. The Movement declared its total support for Nael Barghouthi. A group of extremist settlers attacked last night Barghouthi’s house in Ramallah and tried to set it on fire.
Such a campaign will never succeed to achieve its aims. It will only strengthen our people, the Movement said.
The Palestinian resistance group expressed dissatisfaction with PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s recent statement denouncing Tel Aviv anti-occupation attack.
"Israel's continued crimes and PA security coordination will not prevent our people from resisting Israeli forces and settlers’ crimes", the Movement added. Palestinian towns and cities in the occupied West Bank had witnessed at dawn Friday a mass raid and arrest campaign shortly after Israeli war minister declared a complete cordon on the West Bank.
On the other hand, Hamas Movement strongly denounced the "heinous" attack against the oldest-serving Palestinian prisoner in Israeli jails Nael Barghouthi’ house.
The Movement slammed the PA security forces’ failure in providing protection for Barghouthi’s house especially that it was attacked more than once by Israeli settlers. The Movement declared its total support for Nael Barghouthi. A group of extremist settlers attacked last night Barghouthi’s house in Ramallah and tried to set it on fire.