31 dec 2015
The Israeli Municipality in occupied Jerusalem has notified Thursday six houses in Jabal Mukbar town south of al-Aqsa Mosque with demolition.
Local sources told Quds Press that Israeli forces stormed in large numbers Jabal Mukbar town and deployed throughout its neighborhoods.
During the raid, six local homes were notified with demolition under the pretext of being built without permit.
Earlier in October, Israeli forces demolished two homes in the neighborhood after their owners carried out alleged attacks against Israelis.
During the demolition process, six neighboring houses were damaged which made their owners demand a compensation from Israeli municipality.
However, Israeli authorities decided to demolish the damaged houses instead of repairing them.
Demolishing homes is one of the most immoral and punitive policies conducted by the Israeli government against the family homes of Palestinians accused of attacking Israelis; though some of the homes were also destroyed for not having building permits.
Local sources told Quds Press that Israeli forces stormed in large numbers Jabal Mukbar town and deployed throughout its neighborhoods.
During the raid, six local homes were notified with demolition under the pretext of being built without permit.
Earlier in October, Israeli forces demolished two homes in the neighborhood after their owners carried out alleged attacks against Israelis.
During the demolition process, six neighboring houses were damaged which made their owners demand a compensation from Israeli municipality.
However, Israeli authorities decided to demolish the damaged houses instead of repairing them.
Demolishing homes is one of the most immoral and punitive policies conducted by the Israeli government against the family homes of Palestinians accused of attacking Israelis; though some of the homes were also destroyed for not having building permits.
Special forces from the Israeli police on Thursday morning escorted a horde of Jewish settlers as they were touring the Aqsa Mosque's courtyards.
Local sources said that Jewish settlers desecrated the Mosque's plateaus and some of them tried to perform rituals, which provoked Muslim worshipers into chanting religious slogans in protest at their presence.
Outside the Mosque compound, Israeli policemen were restricting the entry of Muslim worshipers and prevented others from going in at the pretext that their names were blacklisted.
Local sources said that Jewish settlers desecrated the Mosque's plateaus and some of them tried to perform rituals, which provoked Muslim worshipers into chanting religious slogans in protest at their presence.
Outside the Mosque compound, Israeli policemen were restricting the entry of Muslim worshipers and prevented others from going in at the pretext that their names were blacklisted.
The Israeli government is implementing a plan to increase the Jewish majority in Jerusalem to establish the 'Greater Jerusalem', said the director of the cartography department in the Arab Studies Association and expert on Israel's settlement policies, Khalil al-Tafkaji.
In an exclusive interview with the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) al-Tafkaji stated, "The successive Israeli governments, especially Netanyahu's first and second governments, have all contributed in the E1 settlement project that aims at geographically disconnecting the north and south of the West Bank. The project eliminates the remaining space to expand 'East Jerusalem' as a capital for the (projected) state of Palestine."
Settlements expansion
Al-Tafkaji pointed out that the Israeli government is secretly working to establish a "bi-national" state away from the two-state solution. He confirmed that this does not only include the E1 project, but also the widespread expansion of settlements south and north of Jerusalem, in addition to the expansion of the industrial zone in the settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim to the Dead Sea.
Meanwhile, Peace Now organization announced recently the scheme of the Israeli Ministry of Construction and Housing, which includes building 55,548 illegal settlement units in the Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The scheme consists of more than 25,000 units to the east of the Separation Wall, and 8,378 units in At-Tur and 'Anata. Furthermore, two Israeli settlements are to be built to the south of Bethlehem and the north of Jordan Valley, in addition to more than 12,000 settlement units in the Old city of Jerusalem.
Al-Tafkaji confirmed that working on the E1 settlement project has not stopped for years, as the infrastructure has already been built, in addition to a district police headquarters. The E1 zone, according to him, is connected with the settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim from the east, and the Eastern Ring Road and the French Hill from the west.
Horrendous project
Al-Tafkaji said, “The project imposes two risks. Firstly, the site of the project eliminates the Palestinian hope of having a Palestinian capital in Jerusalem, as it is the only space left for expansion in East Jerusalem. Secondly, the project constitutes a tremendous settlement area connected with East Jerusalem and Ma'aleh Adumim, separating the north and the south of the West Bank.”
No deterrent
The Palestinian and Arab response to the Israeli plan, according to al-Tafkaji, is nonexistent, especially in the light of the ongoing regional Arab split. “The project is timely, allowing Israel to carry out the whole process without even an Arab condemnation,” said al-Tafkaji.
He added that Israel is quite comfortable nowadays as the U.S. is preparing for the next elections and is busy with Russia, Syria, Iraq and ISIS. In addition, Europe is dealing with immigrants and terrorism, thus giving Israel the space to accelerate its settlement projects.
Al-Tafkaji concluded, “This is how Israel has built 217 settlements, as part of the Seven Star Plan of the former Minister of Housing, Ariel Sharon, which aimed at establishing a group of Israeli settlements inside the Palestinian territories.”
In an exclusive interview with the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) al-Tafkaji stated, "The successive Israeli governments, especially Netanyahu's first and second governments, have all contributed in the E1 settlement project that aims at geographically disconnecting the north and south of the West Bank. The project eliminates the remaining space to expand 'East Jerusalem' as a capital for the (projected) state of Palestine."
Settlements expansion
Al-Tafkaji pointed out that the Israeli government is secretly working to establish a "bi-national" state away from the two-state solution. He confirmed that this does not only include the E1 project, but also the widespread expansion of settlements south and north of Jerusalem, in addition to the expansion of the industrial zone in the settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim to the Dead Sea.
Meanwhile, Peace Now organization announced recently the scheme of the Israeli Ministry of Construction and Housing, which includes building 55,548 illegal settlement units in the Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The scheme consists of more than 25,000 units to the east of the Separation Wall, and 8,378 units in At-Tur and 'Anata. Furthermore, two Israeli settlements are to be built to the south of Bethlehem and the north of Jordan Valley, in addition to more than 12,000 settlement units in the Old city of Jerusalem.
Al-Tafkaji confirmed that working on the E1 settlement project has not stopped for years, as the infrastructure has already been built, in addition to a district police headquarters. The E1 zone, according to him, is connected with the settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim from the east, and the Eastern Ring Road and the French Hill from the west.
Horrendous project
Al-Tafkaji said, “The project imposes two risks. Firstly, the site of the project eliminates the Palestinian hope of having a Palestinian capital in Jerusalem, as it is the only space left for expansion in East Jerusalem. Secondly, the project constitutes a tremendous settlement area connected with East Jerusalem and Ma'aleh Adumim, separating the north and the south of the West Bank.”
No deterrent
The Palestinian and Arab response to the Israeli plan, according to al-Tafkaji, is nonexistent, especially in the light of the ongoing regional Arab split. “The project is timely, allowing Israel to carry out the whole process without even an Arab condemnation,” said al-Tafkaji.
He added that Israel is quite comfortable nowadays as the U.S. is preparing for the next elections and is busy with Russia, Syria, Iraq and ISIS. In addition, Europe is dealing with immigrants and terrorism, thus giving Israel the space to accelerate its settlement projects.
Al-Tafkaji concluded, “This is how Israel has built 217 settlements, as part of the Seven Star Plan of the former Minister of Housing, Ariel Sharon, which aimed at establishing a group of Israeli settlements inside the Palestinian territories.”
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, on Wednesday reaffirmed the Kingdom’s firm stances towards the Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including supporting the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Saudi Arabian King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz met with the Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, at his palace in Riyadh to talk about bilateral relations and the latest developments emerging on the Palestinian socio-political scene.
At the outset of the session, Abbas decorated the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques with the Medal of Honor – the highest honor granted in Palestine – in recognition of the King’s supportive stands of the Palestinian cause.
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Saudi Arabia at noontime on Wednesday for an official visit to the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabian King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz met with the Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman, Mahmoud Abbas, at his palace in Riyadh to talk about bilateral relations and the latest developments emerging on the Palestinian socio-political scene.
At the outset of the session, Abbas decorated the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques with the Medal of Honor – the highest honor granted in Palestine – in recognition of the King’s supportive stands of the Palestinian cause.
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Saudi Arabia at noontime on Wednesday for an official visit to the Kingdom.
30 dec 2015
Despite his dark past and his attempt of bombing al-Aqsa Mosque in the eighties of the last century, the Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) allowed the settler Yehuda Etzion to enter al-Aqsa Mosque after 30 years of prevention; he was also allowed to raise his hands as an aspect of worship while roaming the Mosque’s courtyards.
However, after the removal of the ban, Etzion breached the term of an agreement between Israel and Jordan with the sponsorship of the USA.
Etzion appealed the decision of denying him access into al-Aqsa Mosque for 15 days. The decision was issued by the Magistrate Court in Jerusalem, because he violated the "terms" of the recent Jordanian–Israeli agreement, which allows settlers to enter al-Aqsa Mosque but not to pray in it; however, Etzion raised his hands after entering the site as part of a religious ritual, prompting Israeli forces to get him out of the Mosque after the Aqsa guards protested his act and insisted on him getting out of the holy Islamic site.
In view of the serious unprecedented event after the Israeli judiciary allowed the settler to practice an act of worship violating the Jordanian-Israeli agreement, the Islamic Waqf management communicated with the Jordanian ambassador and Jordanian Ministry Of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and informed them of the serious situation arising from storming the Mosque by such settlers who declare their intention to destroy the Mosque to build the alleged Temple in its place.
Escalation against al-Aqsa
The director of al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Omar Kiswani told Qpress that the District Court's decision is a serious escalation and a flagrant attack on al-Aqsa Mosque that would affect the region, stressing that the Israeli occupation must stop those settlers if it wants peace as it claims.
Lawyer and specialist of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa affairs, Khalid Zabarqh, opined that the decision not to ban the settler Yehuda Etzion from al-Aqsa Mosque affects the legal rules that govern al-Aqsa Mosque, which acknowledge the entitlement of Muslims in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and praying there, and at the same time prevent others from doing that.
He charged that the Israeli judiciary has recently cohered with the Judaization schemes of the city of Jerusalem; as the judiciary began making decisions that help the settlement project, noting that, in conjunction with allowing Etzion to raise his hands as a signal of a prayer in al-Aqsa Mosque, the Israeli judiciary is looking into a decision of criminalization the chanting of Thakbir (Allah is the greatest) inside al-Aqsa Mosque.
Judaization dwarfs the Islamic right
Through his follow-up of the conduct of the Israeli courts, Zabarqh said that the occupation is trying through this device to widen the Judaization practice, in addition to dwarfing the Islamic right in al-Aqsa Mosque albeit in simple steps in order to endorse the occupation's presence in it.
While the Israeli occupation allows the settlers to break into al-Aqsa Mosque knowing their plans and intentions to demolish al-Aqsa Mosque, it prevents many Palestinians from entering the Mosque, he pointed out.
Legitimize settlement
In this context, Sheikh Raed Salah, who has been barred from entering the city of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque since 2007, confirmed that it is not permissible for any Israeli court to judge in any issue pertaining to the al-Aqsa Mosque; because it does not have sovereignty over it. Sheikh Salah believes that the Israeli court's decision is null and void.
Sheikh Salah explained that the court is trying to legitimize through its decisions the incursions of settlers into al-Aqsa Mosque, in addition to legitimizing the construction of the alleged temple in place of the Mosque.
Regarding the renewal of his ban decision yesterday for an additional six months, Sheikh Salah said that the occupation which pretends that it respects the judiciary, issues an administrative military decision to prevent him from entering the city of Jerusalem, which he described as blatant injustice and racism.
The Israeli occupation forces prevented 12 Muslim deputies in the Israeli Knesset from entering the al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as banning 60 Palestinian women from praying in it.
Yehuda Etzion had tried to blow up the Dome of the Rock but al-Aqsa Mosque guards thwarted his attempt when a guard on one of its gates stopped him and searched the bag he was carrying and found it filled with explosives.
Etzion was a member of the Jewish secret movement that planned to assassinate the mayors of the West Bank. It adopted the bombing of the Nablus mayor Bassam Shaka's car; the bombing resulted in the amputation of his legs.
However, after the removal of the ban, Etzion breached the term of an agreement between Israel and Jordan with the sponsorship of the USA.
Etzion appealed the decision of denying him access into al-Aqsa Mosque for 15 days. The decision was issued by the Magistrate Court in Jerusalem, because he violated the "terms" of the recent Jordanian–Israeli agreement, which allows settlers to enter al-Aqsa Mosque but not to pray in it; however, Etzion raised his hands after entering the site as part of a religious ritual, prompting Israeli forces to get him out of the Mosque after the Aqsa guards protested his act and insisted on him getting out of the holy Islamic site.
In view of the serious unprecedented event after the Israeli judiciary allowed the settler to practice an act of worship violating the Jordanian-Israeli agreement, the Islamic Waqf management communicated with the Jordanian ambassador and Jordanian Ministry Of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs and informed them of the serious situation arising from storming the Mosque by such settlers who declare their intention to destroy the Mosque to build the alleged Temple in its place.
Escalation against al-Aqsa
The director of al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Omar Kiswani told Qpress that the District Court's decision is a serious escalation and a flagrant attack on al-Aqsa Mosque that would affect the region, stressing that the Israeli occupation must stop those settlers if it wants peace as it claims.
Lawyer and specialist of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa affairs, Khalid Zabarqh, opined that the decision not to ban the settler Yehuda Etzion from al-Aqsa Mosque affects the legal rules that govern al-Aqsa Mosque, which acknowledge the entitlement of Muslims in the Al-Aqsa Mosque and praying there, and at the same time prevent others from doing that.
He charged that the Israeli judiciary has recently cohered with the Judaization schemes of the city of Jerusalem; as the judiciary began making decisions that help the settlement project, noting that, in conjunction with allowing Etzion to raise his hands as a signal of a prayer in al-Aqsa Mosque, the Israeli judiciary is looking into a decision of criminalization the chanting of Thakbir (Allah is the greatest) inside al-Aqsa Mosque.
Judaization dwarfs the Islamic right
Through his follow-up of the conduct of the Israeli courts, Zabarqh said that the occupation is trying through this device to widen the Judaization practice, in addition to dwarfing the Islamic right in al-Aqsa Mosque albeit in simple steps in order to endorse the occupation's presence in it.
While the Israeli occupation allows the settlers to break into al-Aqsa Mosque knowing their plans and intentions to demolish al-Aqsa Mosque, it prevents many Palestinians from entering the Mosque, he pointed out.
Legitimize settlement
In this context, Sheikh Raed Salah, who has been barred from entering the city of Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque since 2007, confirmed that it is not permissible for any Israeli court to judge in any issue pertaining to the al-Aqsa Mosque; because it does not have sovereignty over it. Sheikh Salah believes that the Israeli court's decision is null and void.
Sheikh Salah explained that the court is trying to legitimize through its decisions the incursions of settlers into al-Aqsa Mosque, in addition to legitimizing the construction of the alleged temple in place of the Mosque.
Regarding the renewal of his ban decision yesterday for an additional six months, Sheikh Salah said that the occupation which pretends that it respects the judiciary, issues an administrative military decision to prevent him from entering the city of Jerusalem, which he described as blatant injustice and racism.
The Israeli occupation forces prevented 12 Muslim deputies in the Israeli Knesset from entering the al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as banning 60 Palestinian women from praying in it.
Yehuda Etzion had tried to blow up the Dome of the Rock but al-Aqsa Mosque guards thwarted his attempt when a guard on one of its gates stopped him and searched the bag he was carrying and found it filled with explosives.
Etzion was a member of the Jewish secret movement that planned to assassinate the mayors of the West Bank. It adopted the bombing of the Nablus mayor Bassam Shaka's car; the bombing resulted in the amputation of his legs.
29 dec 2015
Israeli military bulldozers demolished Tuesday morning a Palestinian house in Sur Baher village, south of occupied Jerusalem.
Eyewitnesses reported that a number of Israeli bulldozers, escorted by IOF soldiers, stormed since the early morning hours Sur Baher village and surrounded a local home under construction.
The demolished two-story house belongs to Issa Rabay’a, the sources added.
The house’s owner had earlier received an Israeli demolition notification under the pretext that the house was being built without permit.
On the other hand, an Israeli court accepted an appeal submitted by the citizen Mohamed Amira against his house demolition.
As part of the Israeli displacement policy, more than 20,000 Palestinian houses are threatened with demolition in occupied Jerusalem under the pretext of being built without permit.
Eyewitnesses reported that a number of Israeli bulldozers, escorted by IOF soldiers, stormed since the early morning hours Sur Baher village and surrounded a local home under construction.
The demolished two-story house belongs to Issa Rabay’a, the sources added.
The house’s owner had earlier received an Israeli demolition notification under the pretext that the house was being built without permit.
On the other hand, an Israeli court accepted an appeal submitted by the citizen Mohamed Amira against his house demolition.
As part of the Israeli displacement policy, more than 20,000 Palestinian houses are threatened with demolition in occupied Jerusalem under the pretext of being built without permit.
Hordes of Israeli fanatics, escorted by police forces, stormed on Tuesday morning Muslims’ the holy al-Aqsa Mosque via the Maghareba Gate.
The settler groups performed sacrilegious rituals, provoking the anger of the peaceful Muslim sit-inners and learners who kept chanting “Allah is the Greatest” in protest at the break-in.
The Israeli occupation police also cracked down on the Muslim women, denying them access into al-Aqsa Mosque to perform their religious prayers.
Israeli extremist settlers have often desecrated the holy al-Aqsa Mosque—the third holiest site in Islam—sparking widespread tension across the occupied Palestinian territories.
Meanwhile, Israeli army troops rolled into Kifl Haris town, in northern Salfit, and provided a security shield for the extremist settlers who stormed Islamic holy places of worship in the area.
Eyewitnesses said several Israeli settlers flocked to the town in the early morning hours and performed provocative rituals.
The Israeli occupation soldiers reportedly broke into Palestinian civilian homes and ravaged them without prior notifications.
The settler groups performed sacrilegious rituals, provoking the anger of the peaceful Muslim sit-inners and learners who kept chanting “Allah is the Greatest” in protest at the break-in.
The Israeli occupation police also cracked down on the Muslim women, denying them access into al-Aqsa Mosque to perform their religious prayers.
Israeli extremist settlers have often desecrated the holy al-Aqsa Mosque—the third holiest site in Islam—sparking widespread tension across the occupied Palestinian territories.
Meanwhile, Israeli army troops rolled into Kifl Haris town, in northern Salfit, and provided a security shield for the extremist settlers who stormed Islamic holy places of worship in the area.
Eyewitnesses said several Israeli settlers flocked to the town in the early morning hours and performed provocative rituals.
The Israeli occupation soldiers reportedly broke into Palestinian civilian homes and ravaged them without prior notifications.
28 dec 2015
In a blatant violation of the Muslims' freedom of worship, the Israeli prosecution office has asked a court in Occupied Jerusalem to criminalize the use of the Islamic Thakbir expression, "Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest)," inside the Aqsa Mosque.
This came up after the Israeli police arrested a Palestinian young man from the 1948 occupied lands on a charge of shouting Allahu Akbar as a horde of Jewish settlers were touring the Mosque's courtyards.
The police claimed that chanting such a religious slogan would stir up riots at the Mosque.
Palestinian lawyer Ramzi Katilat described the Israeli step as a dangerous precedent, pointing out that the previous arrest incidents that had happened at the Mosque because of shouting Thakbir were not dealt with as a crime and only led the police to question the detainee and then release him or ban his entry to the Islamic holy shrine.
Katilat affirmed that he and other lawyers would file a petition with the same court to explain that the Thakbir chant inside the Mosque is part of the freedoms of worship and expression and how the prosecutor's request would violate these rights.
This came up after the Israeli police arrested a Palestinian young man from the 1948 occupied lands on a charge of shouting Allahu Akbar as a horde of Jewish settlers were touring the Mosque's courtyards.
The police claimed that chanting such a religious slogan would stir up riots at the Mosque.
Palestinian lawyer Ramzi Katilat described the Israeli step as a dangerous precedent, pointing out that the previous arrest incidents that had happened at the Mosque because of shouting Thakbir were not dealt with as a crime and only led the police to question the detainee and then release him or ban his entry to the Islamic holy shrine.
Katilat affirmed that he and other lawyers would file a petition with the same court to explain that the Thakbir chant inside the Mosque is part of the freedoms of worship and expression and how the prosecutor's request would violate these rights.
27 dec 2015
The Israeli occupation police on Sunday morning allowed a horde of Jewish settlers to desecrate the Aqsa Mosque's courtyards under security protection.
Local sources said that Palestinian men and women inside the Mosque compound chanted religious slogans to express their protest at the desecration of the Islamic holy site by settlers and police officers.
Meanwhile, policemen at the entrances to the Mosque imposed entry restrictions on Palestinian young men and women.
The same sources said the policemen confiscated ID cards of Palestinian young people and searched them before allowing them to enter the Mosque.
Local sources said that Palestinian men and women inside the Mosque compound chanted religious slogans to express their protest at the desecration of the Islamic holy site by settlers and police officers.
Meanwhile, policemen at the entrances to the Mosque imposed entry restrictions on Palestinian young men and women.
The same sources said the policemen confiscated ID cards of Palestinian young people and searched them before allowing them to enter the Mosque.
