OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)
Data from the Europeans for Jerusalem Foundation reveals that Israeli occupation forces committed 1,032 violations in Jerusalem in January 2024. These include incursions and raids (44.6%), demolition notices (20.3%), and arrests (13.7%).
The monthly report released on Thursday documents 35 shooting incidents by Israeli forces in Occupied Jerusalem, resulting in the death of 3 citizens and injuries to 8 others, while dozens suffered from suffocation. Additionally, at least 27 citizens were subjected to beating and abuse.
Israeli forces carried out 460 raids in Jerusalem, arresting 141 individuals, including 13 children and 4 women. They also imposed house arrest on 11 others and summoned 15 individuals.
Regarding demolitions, the report records 20 operations, destroying 14 houses, including 6 self-demolished by their owners. Israeli forces distributed 210 demolition notices and targeted agricultural lands.
The report highlights attempts to evacuate a property owned by the UNRWA in Kafr Aqab, claiming it belongs to the Israeli occupation authority (IOA), despite being registered under the Jordanian government before 1967. The IOA issued 7 decisions promoting settlement and Judaization.
It indicated that the most prominent actions include establishing a waste dump on an area of 109 dunums near the homes of tens of thousands of residents in Al-Eisawiya, Anata, and Ras Shehada, in addition to the initiation of the Judaization project known as Wadi al-Joz, also referred to as the Hayyek project, and approval of a plan to build the settlement neighborhood Givat Hashaked on the lands of the village of Beit Safafa. Additionally, an initial tender was published for the construction of 550 housing units within the settlement of Givat Ma’shuah.
Regarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the report notes 3,405 settlers and hundreds of “tourists” participated in 22 days of incursions. The IOA continued besieging the Mosque, limiting Friday prayer attendees to less than 5,000.
The IOA persisted in expulsion policies from the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jerusalem, issuing 7 expulsion orders this month against Jerusalemite activists.
Furthermore, settlers continued to carry out attacks against citizens in the holy city. During this month, Europeans for Jerusalem documented 4 attacks perpetrated by settlers, including the vandalism of a mosque, causing damage and injuries.
The report identifies 47 checkpoints, fixed and random, 4 violations against press freedom, public liberties, and one related to collective punishment.
The report concluded that the occupying government exploits the war on Gaza to impose new realities in the occupied city of Jerusalem, particularly in terms of Judaization and establishing a new status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque. It warned of the seriousness of the ongoing violations and the unleashing of extremist settlers to carry out attacks against citizens.
The international community was urged to take swift action to pressure Israel to cease its assaults, reverse its attempts to alter the status quo at Al-Aqsa Mosque, end the policy of seizing Palestinian homes and properties, abandon forced displacement plans, and put an end to the grave human rights violations committed by the Israeli occupation authorities.
