The Center for Palestinian Prisoners’ Studies confirmed that it has recorded a clear escalation in the number of arrests carried out by the Israeli occupation against Jerusalemites since the beginning of the year noting that more than 1000 Jerusalemites were arrested during the first six months of the year.
Researcher Riad al-Ashqar the spokesman of the Center said that the arrests escalated in the city of Jerusalem in an attempt by the Israeli occupation to quell the popular movement that erupted in rejection of the American president’s decision of recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on December 6th that was followed by his decision to transfer the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem last May. The Israeli occupation authorities escalated the arrests of Jerusalemites including the elderly and ex-prisoners patients MPs notables women and children.
He pointed out that the arrests covered all villages towns and neighborhoods of the city of Jerusalem while Issawiya came first in the number of arrests reaching 315 prisoners followed by Shu’fat reaching 150 prisoners then Silwan reaching 130 prisoners followed by the Old City of Jerusalem reaching 120 prisoners and finally followed by Al-Aqsa Mosque reaching 65 prisoners.
Arrest of children
Al-Ashqar pointed out that the arrests in Jerusalem affected all segments of the society as children had the lion’s share with 300 of them arrested. This number constitutes about one-third of the arrests from Jerusalem since the beginning of the year of which more than 22 children were below 12 years old.
The detention is not limited to arresting the children of Jerusalem; after their release they are subject to house arrest which stipulates that the child is confined to a specific place inside the house is prevented from leaving the house even for treatment or study providing that a penalty will be imposed in case children violate these orders as well as expelling them from their homes to new homes where they will remain under house arrest again. Children are brought before the courts whether they are sentenced to actual imprisonment with a fine or a fine only in exchange for their release.
Jerusalemite prisoner killed in prison
This year Aziz Mousa Awaisat 53 years old from Jabal al-Mukaber lost his life as a result of a barbaric attack at the hands of the prison’s special units at Eshel prison which led to a brain hemorrhage. He was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit at Asaf Harofeh Hospital where he lost his life. The Israeli occupation forces continue to hold his body until this moment and refuse to hand it over to his family for burial.
The arrest of females
Al-Ashqar said that the occupation continues targeting women especially women at Al-Aqsa Mosque; many of them were arrested this year. The number of arrests of women and girls reached 31 including minors such as Mai Bassam Asila 14 from Shu’fat camp who was arrested after being accused of holding a knife and a gas bottle and Sarah Nazmi Shamasneh 14 years old who was arrested with her mother Rasilah Shamasneh at Qitna neighborhood of Jerusalem.
Among the arrested women was wounded prisoner Khawla Subeih 43 who was arrested after being shot in the legs in Shu’fat neighborhood. They released her after several days of detention. The Israeli police arrested the wife of the member of Al-Thawri local council Adnan Ghaith after storming their house in Jerusalem as well as elderly Farah Abd Da’na 67.
The Israeli occupation forces arrested ex-prisoner and activist Wafa Abu Juma 38 accusing her of incitement on Facebook. She was released a week after her arrest. Ibtisam Obaid 35 was arrested and was accused of illegally staying in Jerusalem despite being married to a man from Jerusalem and has been living there for 16 years.
Al-Ashqar said that many of the women who were arrested are still behind bars while some others were released after being investigated. The Israeli occupation ordered some of them to house arrest while others were ordered to expulsion from their houses or denial of entry to Al-Aqsa Mosque.
