OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)
Between Judaization, settlement, killing, and daily arrests, the assaults by Israeli occupation forces in the holy city of Jerusalem varied throughout 2024, attempting to impose a new reality in the city. These assaults included intensification of settlement activity in Palestinian neighborhoods, the displacement of families from their homes in East Jerusalem, as well as a rise in targeted killings of Palestinian youths, accompanied by daily arrest campaigns. These assaults represent part of a systematic policy aimed at Judaizing the city and altering its historical and geographical features to become a unified capital of Israel at the expense of the Palestinians.
In its annual report for 2024, the Jerusalem Governorate highlighted the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation authorities in the holy city and revealed a series of violations affecting various aspects of life in Jerusalem, targeting land, people, and holy sites.
Martyrs
The Jerusalem Governorate recorded the martyrdom of 35 individuals in 2024, including 7 from outside the city and 14 children, the youngest being 3-year-old Ruqayyah Abu Dahok. The occupation also continued to hold the bodies of 45 martyrs until the end of the year.
Continuous targeting of Jerusalem’s symbols
The occupation authorities continued to target national figures in Jerusalem. Notably, this included targeting the Governor of Jerusalem, Adnan Ghaith, who has faced house arrest since 2022, and the preacher of Al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, who has been arrested and banned from the Mosque multiple times.
Settler assaults
During 2024, the report recorded 159 assaults carried out by settlers, including physical assaults, indicating an increase in the pace of violence. In contrast, the occupation authorities continued to support and protect settlers from legal accountability, encouraging them to commit more crimes.
Arrests and pursuits
The occupation authorities continued their repressive campaigns in Jerusalem, carrying out 1,287 arrests, including 112 children and 65 women. These arrests came as part of a collective targeting policy against Jerusalemites, with the report noting 411 actual prison sentences and 280 administrative detention orders.
Crimes against Al-Aqsa Mosque
Al-Aqsa Mosque continues to suffer from ongoing attacks by the occupation authorities and settlers. In 2024, 60,792 settlers stormed the Mosque, many of whom performed Talmudic rituals and desecrated the holy site. The Mosque witnessed a dangerous transformation with attempts by the occupation to impose a new political reality, exemplified by incursions by ministers and Knesset members into the Mosque’s courtyards, in addition to extremist statements from Ben Gvir about building a synagogue inside Al-Aqsa.
Excavations
The occupation continued to carry out excavation work beneath the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, leading to the collapse of many trees and stones within the sacred site. These excavations targeting the Mosque’s foundations are part of a policy of Judaizing the city and tightening the noose on Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Crimes against Christians
Attacks on Christian holy sites in Jerusalem continue, as settlers targeted Christian places of worship and clergy. In February, they assaulted German monk Nikodemus Schnabel. Additionally, the occupation authorities prevented Palestinian Christians from accessing Jerusalem during religious holidays.
Destruction and demolition
The occupation authorities continue their policy of demolishing homes in occupied Jerusalem, with the report documenting 380 demolition and bulldozing operations in 2024. These demolitions, which have seen a marked increase in recent years, are part of a policy of forced displacement and Judaization.
Demolition notices
The occupation continued its policy of threats and demolitions, delivering over 130 demolition notices across Jerusalem, particularly in areas the occupation seeks to control, reaffirming the policy of displacement and Judaization practiced by the occupation authorities.
