Action Alert: International Community Must Take Immediate and Concrete
Measures to Halt Israel’s Aggression against Palestinian Jerusalemites
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Action Alert: International Community Must Take Immediate and Concrete
Measures to Halt Israel’s Aggression against Palestinian Jerusalemites
10، May 2021
Since dawn of today, 10 May 2021, Israel and its occupying forces have
escalated their attacks against Palestinians in Jerusalem, and
specifically against worshipers inside Al-Aqsa Mosque. Storming Al-Aqsa
Mosque compound, where some 20,000 Palestinians were present for Al-Fajr
prayer, the Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF) fired rubber bullets, tear
gas canisters, and sound bombs, targeting Palestinians, while preventing
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=33662e26e5&e=08c14cf485> the
entry of the Red Crescent medical teams into the compound, where dozens
are wounded, some in serious condition. As of 10 am, when around 7,000
Palestinians were participating in a sit-in inside the Mosque, the Red
Crescent reported
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=6b65f84717&e=08c14cf485> that
at least 180 Palestinians were injured, 80 of whom needed to be
hospitalised. Paramedics and journalists are among the injured.
Considering the escalation in aggressions against Palestinians in the
past few weeks, which continue to rapidly increase, and Israeli
settlers’ intention to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, we warn that
Israel’s use of force will lead to a further escalation in attacks
against Palestinians, and urge the international community to take
immediate and concrete measures to halt Israel’s attacks.
Israel’s oppression and fragmentation of the Palestinian people,
systematic use of excessive force, collective punishment and arbitrary
arrests policies, along with settler violence, which is carried out with
institutionalised impunity, are a few characteristics of Israel’s
settler-colonial and apartheid regime. In the past four days, the IOF
killed three Palestinians, including a 16-year-old boy, Said Odeh, who
was shot
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=94cd5dcb25&e=08c14cf485>,
at least twice, in his back. With intensified oppression and aggression
against Palestinian Jerusalemites since the start of Ramadan, the
imminent threat of having some 87 Palestinian Jerusalemites forcibly
transferred by Israeli settler organisation, with the assistance of
Israel’s discriminatory and unlawful legal system, and eruption of
built-up Palestinian frustration from decades of colonial suppression,
the occupied Palestinian territory, generally, and Jerusalem,
specifically, has seen a surge in these policies and violations.
Palestinian Jerusalemites have been systematically targeted and attacked
since 13 April 2021, the first day of Ramadan. The IOF then stormed the
outer minarets of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and cut the wires for the speakers,
preventing the call to prayer before going on to place metal barriers
close to Damascus Gate. The IOF followed these provocations by attacking
Palestinians with hands, batons, and sound bombs in an attempt to
prevent the latter from sitting on the steps. On 22 April 2021, at
night, Israeli settlers, including those affiliated with the Israeli
far-right group Lehava, took to the streets, chanting
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=38ff594aaa&e=08c14cf485> ‘death
to Arabs.’ Notably, the IOF always provide settlers protection, thereby
encouraging and contributing to these attacks. According to the
Palestinian Red Crescent, 105 Palestinians were wounded, 22 of whom
were hospitalised in moderate condition. It was also reported
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=8f221a0cf9&e=08c14cf485> that
over 50 Palestinians were arrested. These events continued, along with
arbitrary arrests, on a daily basis until 25 April 2021, when
Palestinians removed
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=5050b5a0f3&e=08c14cf485> the
metal barriers. Israel, however, continued its crack down on
Palestinians, including by arbitrarily arresting
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=fd684045ce&e=08c14cf485> Palestinians
who celebrated the removal of the barriers.
Within the same context of Israeli oppression and domination, inherent
in its settler-colonial and apartheid regime, the IOF and Israeli
settlers systematically attack and harass Palestinian residents of
Sheikh Jarrah, and other Palestinians joining in solidarity. The Israeli
Supreme Court, which unlawfully applies Israeli discriminatory domestic
law to an occupied territory, was supposed to hold a hearing on 10 May
2021 on the forced eviction of eight Palestinian families, who were
already forcibly expelled during the Nakba of 1948, and continue to
experience an ongoing Nakba.
Waiting for the Court’s decision, residents of Sheikh Jarrah have called
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=8790338a1e&e=08c14cf485> for
solidarity activities in support of their struggle and in resistance to
Israel’s oppression. Since 2 May 2021, along with other Palestinians who
joined in solidarity, the residents have been meeting to break their
fast publicly in front of their houses in Sheikh Jarrah.
As Palestinians were opposing oppression, they were faced with more
oppression. For over a week, the IOF and Israeli settlers, some of the
latter being armed
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=f50a17c2b3&e=08c14cf485>,
have been suppressing
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=1a6c00a955&e=08c14cf485> and
attacking
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=c56c505a49&e=08c14cf485> Palestinians
in Sheikh Jarrah, including by raiding and damaging houses, firing tear
gas canisters, sound bombs and skunk water
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=c051129d1c&e=08c14cf485>,
and arbitrarily arresting
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=c9da7d76c9&e=08c14cf485> them.
On 6 May 2021, Knesset member Itamar Ben-Gvir moved
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=1f75da4dc0&e=08c14cf485> his
office to the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood, placing it in front of
Al-Ghawi family house, which was taken over by settlers in 2009. At
Iftar time of that day, Israeli settlers, protected by the IOF,
pepper-sprayed Palestinians, who defended themselves by throwing chairs
at the settlers. The IOF used force to supress Palestinians and defend
the Israeli settlers. Around 15 Palestinians were arrested that day.
Since 7 May 2021, the IOF fully closed the entrances of the
neighbourhood, only allowing Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah to
enter. Palestinians continued to show up in solidarity at the entrances
of the neighbourhood, and they continued to be suppressed and attacked
by the IOF.
On 7 May 2021, last Friday of Ramadan, the IOF continued attacking
Palestinian Jerusalemites, including by vigorously firing sound and tear
gas bombs and shooting rubber-coated bullets at the worshipers inside
the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The repression of Palestinians in
Al-Aqsa Mosque continued until about 3:00 am, when they emptied the
Mosque and closed its doors. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent,
205 Palestinians were injured, more than 80 of whom were hospitalised.
That day
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=741f877deb&e=08c14cf485>,
three Palestinians lost
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=ec782f235d&e=08c14cf485> their
eyes, and two had their jaws fractured. The Israeli suppression of
Palestinians continued, resulting in the injury
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=7b68c255c7&e=08c14cf485> of
over 90 Palestinians, five of whom were injured
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=1fb87580c4&e=08c14cf485> on
their heads, on 8 May 2021. Also, on the same day, Israel closed Route
433 and Abu Ghosh Road, and prevented
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=c803b0aec3&e=08c14cf485> Palestinian
busses coming from inside the Green Line to reach Al-Aqsa Mosque, which
exemplifies how Israel continues to geographically fragment the
Palestinian people.
Seriously alarmed by this rapid escalation of violence, we welcome the
joint statement issued
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=75c8d20875&e=08c14cf485> by
France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, urging Israel to
‘cease its policy of settlement expansion,’ addressing the situation in
Sheikh Jarrah, and reminding Israel of its legal obligations. We are,
however, concerned about the language used in the statements of the
Middle East Quartet Envoys
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=9d620b83dd&e=08c14cf485>,
and the European Union
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=3bbbf948ef&e=08c14cf485>,
expressing ‘concerns’ with regards to the forcible evictions and the
rise of ‘tensions and violence’ in East Jerusalem, calling on ‘all sides
to uphold and respect the status quo at the holy sites,’ affirming that
‘[a]ll leaders have a responsibility to act against extremists and to
speak out against all acts of violence and incitement.’ Both statements
failed to remind Israel, the Occupying Power, of its legal obligations
towards all Palestinian Jerusalemites. Both statements failed to
contextualise and address the root causes of Israel’s aggressions
against Palestinians: Israel’s settler-colonial and apartheid regime.
Both statements decided to assign Palestinians, a colonised people, the
same weight of responsibility as a coloniser and the Occupying Power.
On 9 May 2021, Israel’s Supreme Court postponed
<https://alhaq.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=10071401ba4201bc1a4992f68&id=18d84637a8&e=08c14cf485> the
hearing on Sheikh Jarrah, which was initially scheduled on the same day
as the so-called ‘Jerusalem Day’, an Israeli holiday ‘celebrating’ the
unlawful occupation and annexation of East Jerusalem in 1967. It is
imperative to note that the Israeli judicial system is both
discriminatory and biased against Palestinians, as it only serves the
interests of Israel’s settler-colonial enterprise. As such, it is
imperative that the international community immediately intervenes to
prevent Israel from conducting these evictions.
Given the latest escalations in Israel’s attacks against Palestinians,
specifically Palestinian Jerusalemites, we warn that Israel’s use of
force will lead to a further escalation in attacks against Palestinians.
By failing to take immediate and direct actions to halt Israel’s
oppression of Palestinians, not only will the the very structure of
international legal order be assaulted, but Palestinians, enduring, and
frustrated by, decades of Israeli settler-colonialism and apartheid
regime, will continue to face systematic and intensified attacks by the
Occupying Power. Words of condemnation are not enough. Israel’s
long-established unlawful policies will not come to an end as long as
the international community does not have the political will to take
concrete actions, including by sanctioning Israel, in order to hold
Israel accountable for its breaches of international human rights and
humanitarian law.
*Signing organisations: *
*The Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC),
compromising of: *
* Al-Haq, Law in the Service of Man
* Al Mezan Center for Human Rights
* Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association
* Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
* DCI - Defense for Children International – Palestine
* Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center
* Aldameer Association for Human Rights
* Ramallah Center for Human Rights Studies
* Hurryyat - Center for Defense of Liberties and Civil Rights
* The Independent Commission for Human Rights (Ombudsman Office) -
Observer Member
* Muwatin Institute for Democracy and Human Rights - Observer Member
*The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO)*
*Community Action Center (CAC)*
*The Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem (CCPRJ)*
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/Copyright © 2021 Al-Haq Organization, All rights reserved./
al haq organizaiton
*Our mailing address is:*
Al-Haq Organization
54 Main Street
Ramallah P6008148
Palestine
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