Palestinians who are deported from Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem don’t pay much attention to the Israeli occupation authority’s decisions against them as they insist on being in touch with the holy mosque by all possible means with their hearts and minds being there all the time.
Few days ago the commander of the Jerusalem police issued a deportation order banishing five Jerusalemites from al-Aqsa for periods ranging from one to six months. Among them is the guard of al-Aqsa Mosque Hamza Nimir the media officer at the Islamic Waqf Tarik al-Hashlamon the head of the committee of the families of imprisoned Jerusalemites in Israeli jails Amjad Abu Assab and activists Mohammed Shalabi and Jameel al-Abbasi.
This decision came days before the celebration of the Jewish holiday of Passover and at a time Jewish settlers continue to storm al-Aqsa Mosque. The deportees performed Friday prayers at Asabat Gate the nearest to al-Aqsa Mosque to express their refusal of these arbitrary deportation decisions.
Deportation refusal
The head of the committee of the families of imprisoned Jerusalemites in Israeli jails Amjad Abu Assab commented on the deportation order by saying “I performed the noon prayer this Friday near the gates of al-Aqsa to express my refusal of deportation and to show commitment to al-Aqsa” noting that the unfair Israeli measures will not succeed in preventing them from practicing their right to worship in al-Aqsa and from being in their own lands.
Abu Assab told the PIC reporter “The Israeli occupation aims at planting fear in the hearts of our Palestinian people” adding “We refuse this unfair and criminal policy which prevents us from practicing our simplest right of worship.”
The media officer at the Islamic Waqf deportee Tarik al-Hashlamon said: “We came to show the Israeli occupation that even if they deport us from al-Aqsa Mosque we will pray at its gates and that their decisions will not stop us from loving the holy place.” He adds “It is clear that the Israeli occupation’s security establishment is in a state of chaos.”
He noted that there is a clear and fierce attack at the Islamic Waqf in Jerusalem “which aims at marginalizing the role of the staff and guards working at the Islamic Waqf spreading fear among them.”
Non-stop deportations
Among the deportees is activist Mohammed Shalabi who was deported several times from al-Aqsa before which lasted for years. He told the PIC reporter “The first time I was deported from al-Aqsa was in 2000 for one month. Since 2010 I was deported from al-Aqsa for three years and a half. The deportation order would be extended for six more months at the end of the previous order. After deportation orders against me stopped for three months I was deported again from al-Aqsa for two more months.”
He continued “I was arrested a week ago along with a group of young people while were leaving al-Aqsa Mosque and I was released four days later. I refused to receive the deportation order from the Israeli police. A judge at an Israeli court issued the deportation decision under unfounded claims that I am responsible for provocation acts at al-Aqsa.”
He concluded “We got used to the Israeli occupation policy in Jerusalem but we want to tell them: We are here. We will continue to be present at al-Aqsa and at its gates. You will not deter us and you will not weaken our determination.”
