Palestinian national and Islamic forces in al-Isawiya town in Occupied Jerusalem called on al-Isawiya residents to perform Friday prayer at the western entrance to the town in protest at recent Israeli measures.
Activist Mohammed Abu al-Hummus told the PIC reporter that Israel’s Jerusalem municipality still procrastinates in making any improvements in al-Isawiya allegedly due to the lack of funds.
Abu al-Hummus added that the so-called Israel Nature Authority has recently stepped up the uprooting of trees in areas threatened by illegal confiscation.
The Palestinian activist highlighted the collective punishment policy pursued by the Israeli occupation against al-Isawiya residents over the past few days by closing all entrances to the town.
He pointed out that crews from the Israeli Ministry of Interior two days ago distributed demolition notices against a number of commercial facilities in the town. Moreover he said about 80 of al-Isawiya residents are currently held in Israeli jails.
For his part activist Hani al-Isawi said that the town for a long time has been subjected to regular raids that included arresting dozens of Palestinian citizens and destroying some agricultural and commercial facilities.
Al-Isawi pointed out that the Israeli police every now and then close the main entrances to al-Isawiya for hours and prevent citizens from entering or leaving the town.
Dozens of Jerusalemites were injured last Friday after the Israeli police attacked the citizens who performed Friday prayer at the town’s entrance with sound bombs and rubber bullets.
On Thursday evening the Israeli police forces intensified their presence in Jerusalem and the Old City following Palestinian calls for mass protests against the US president Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
