The Media and Public Relations Unit in the Jerusalem Governorate monitored the violations of the Israeli occupation in the occupied Jerusalem during the first quarter of the current year 2021. Most notably is the death of the released prisoner Muhammad Salah al-Din (20 years old) On the 11^th of January, the young Salah al-Din died as a result of Israel policy of medical negligence in prisons, The deliberate neglection led to the death of Muhammad due to cancer complications.

The violations of the Israeli occupation in the city of Jerusalem affected every Palestinian presence in the city. Israelis did many violations in order to capture everything that is Palestinian. And lately this policy reached again to affect the governor of Jerusalem him self, Mr (Adnan Ghaith), and that by handing him a renewal of several illegal decisions; The first one was on March 11^th, preventing him from communicating with fifty-one Palestinian personalities including President Mahmoud Abbas on the head of the list and the Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh, and a number of members of the Fatah Central Committee and Palestinian security and national leaders.

 

 

Another decision is to prevent him from interring or staying in the city of Jerusalem except in his place of residence in the town of Silwan, and another decision that prevented him from participating in any activities, events, or gatherings within the so-called territory of the State of Israel. Finaly the last decision was on March 29, the governor was handed over a decision to prevent him from entering the West Bank, or arriving at his office in the town of Al-Ram . It is the fifth time in a row that the occupation authorities have issued arbitrary decisions against him, also the governor, Mr Ghaith, has been arrested 27 times since he started his duties as a governor at the end of  August, 2018, The Governor of Jerusalem, who is exposed on a daily basis to the arbitrary occupation measures that try to undermine the Palestinian presence is a clear example of what threatens every Jerusalemite in the occupied territories.

 

The occupation forces have arrested dozens of Jerusalemites, (465) arrest operation was monitored, including (24) women. The arrests focused on the youth and children ranged from 15-25 years old. The occupation authorities issued a decision to deport (47) citizen including (7) women, and issued decisions for (35)  house arrest.

 

The occupation forces stormed dozens of neighborhoods and towns in Jerusalem, that led to daily confrontations between Palestinian youths and the occupation forces, which extensively used stun grenades, metal and metal rubber coated bullets. It also set up dozens of roadblocks and check points at the entrances to Jerusalemite towns, obstructing the movement of citizens and issuing many violations against the people.

 

No town or neighborhood in Jerusalem governorate was spared from the oppressive policies of the occupation through their provocative incursions, which often lead to the outbreak of confrontations between Palestinian youths and the occupation forces. (23) gunshot injuries were detected, including 3 injuries with live bullets during the first quarter of this year, in addition to dozens of injuries with tear gas, pepper gas, and stun grenades, not to mention their use of waste water vehicles towards citizens.

 

The occupation municipality in Jerusalem continued to practice the policy of apartheid with its continues implementation of demolition and demolition orders notifications, or by forcing Palestinian to carry out demolitions for their own homes. (74) demolishing operations were made till today including (32) homes,(12) residential barracks, (6) livestock barraks, (5) tents,(11) commercial stores. The Jerusalem Governorate also monitored (23 forcible demolitions), as the occupation authorities forced a number of citizens whom reluctantly accepted to self-demolish their homes worried of paying extreme fines and demolition costs if the occupation carried out them.

 

 

The Jerusalem governorate witnessed many new actions by the occupation authorities that pave the way for the implementation of dangerous settlements projects which  attempt to undermine every Palestinian, Islamic and Christian landmark in it. New plans to change the Statu quo in the old city reached the roofs of the khan with a new plans. In addition, the occupation authorities, in partnership with their courts, tightened restrictions on citizens and thier homes, as the Occupation Court issued several eviction decisions during the first quarter of this year, including the handing over of an eviction decision in January against the family of Nizam Abu Ramuz from Batn al-Hawa; neighborhood in the town of Silwan. In favor of settlers, "and an eviction decision for the Alyan family from the village of Beit Safafa in February under the pretext of" non-payment of taxes, "in addition to 7 eviction decisions in February and March against (7 families) in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. The Occupation Court gave (4 of them until May 2 to evacuate). And (3 of them until the first of August to evacuate). In a related context, the occupation authorities issued in March (120 demolition decisions), including (100) decisions only in Al-Bustan neighborhood.

 

 

Settler attacks raised in Jerusalem during the first quarter, (18 attacks) targeting many religious places and public places were monitored as well. three attacks on the Romanian Orthodox Church, 13 attacks on Jerusalemites and journalists, which caused severe injuries to a number of citizens, in addition to writing racist slogans and smashing and burning dozens of vehicles.

 

 

The occupation together with its settlers are trying to create a new reality in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, through time and place dividing, more than 6,200 Jewish settler and students stormed to Al-Aqsa Mosque during the first quarter of this year, the highest is in the month of March, numbers reached more than 3,800 settlers. And that was “under the pretext of Jewish holidays,” and these incursions were distributed over the morning and evening periods with heavy security from the occupation forces, the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem had warned of this matter, and it is mentioned that the periods of incursions coincide with preventing Palestinian residents and worshipers from entering Al-Aqsa Mosque.

 

On a related context, in January the occupation authorities prevented the staff of the Al-Aqsa Mosque reconstruction committee from carrying out restoration and entering the necessary materials, as they prevented the restoration of the Dome of the Rock, Al-Qibli Mosque, the Marwani prayer hall and Bab Al-Rahma chapel, and threatened the workers with arrest and deportation if the restoration work was completed, Although the occupation machinery and bulldozers have not stopped from the excavation works established below the mosque, especially in Al-Buraq Square area, which witnessed during January an escalation in excavation operations.

 

During the first three months of this year, a number of settlement projects and plans were revealed aimed to creat and impose a new reality in the occupied Jerusalem. The Public Relations and Media Unit in the Jerusalem Governorate monitored 18 Israeli plans that were uncovered in the first quarter of this year: of which (6) were plans to expand settlements on the lands of east Jerusalem. Among these plans, it is mentioned that they transformed the Mufti Palace in sheikh jarrah neighborhood into a synagogue which represent one of most dangerous plans in the city of Jerusalem, and there is another plan to establish parks and playgrounds on parts of the land belong to Beit Hanina town, Hizmah and Jaba.

 

 And near the town of Al-Eizariya there is a plan to build a huge garbage dump to collect, sort, and burn garbage for the benefit of the surrounding settlements in the town, in the same area there is also another intentions from Israelis to implement a road called “The Sovereignty Road” aimed at closing the entrance to the town of Al Eizariya. Another work was also done in February to establish a tunnel below Qalandia. It was also revealed During the month of March that the occupation launched several projects in the Satuh Al-Khan area in the Old City, which aim to turn it into a park and play area allegedly to attract tourists. On the same context the occupation municipality announced a project to establish a sports complex on 4000 thousand meter on confiscated land owned by Palestinian citizens on the side of Qalandia airport on the Kafr Aqab side.

 

Media and public relation unit, Jerusalem governorate

Email: gover.office@jergov.ps