Ramallah: Human Rights and Democracy Media Center- SHAMS, warns against the tendency of the occupation government to prevent Palestinians from accessing Al- Aqsa Mosque during the coming month of Ramadan and limiting the number of those allowed to reach it. The Center reported that it perceives the decision as a risky one because it is an extension of the policy of the Israeli various governments to achieve temporal and spatial division of Al- Aqsa Mosque. In addition to the dividing of Al- Aqsa, the Israeli authorities tend to demolish it to establish the so- called Temple Mountain on its ruins. The Israeli occupation is proceeding in this policy, making use of the fact that the world is busy following up on the news of the war in the Gaza Strip that has been going on for 135 days. SHAMS Center affirmed that all the Israeli political parties that form the current government, share the same future vision regarding Al-Aqsa Mosque. These parties tend to apply the deformed Torah teachings in which they believe. These parties do not care about the fact that their behavior might lead to the start of a religious war in the region and enroll the entire world in a war that none can predict its end. The Center added that the other objective behind this plan of the occupation is to continue the project of Judaizing Jerusalem and kill the maximum possible number of Palestinians by pushing them to an unequal confrontation. The Israeli occupation seeks to pull Palestinians once again into the circle of murdering and killing. The occupation makes use of any opportunity to proceed in killing Palestinians and transfer Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem yards into a pool of blood as if were an extension of the Crusaders’ campaigns in the previous centuries.
The Center stresses that the Israeli procedures in Jerusalem in particular and in the Occupied Palestinian Territory in general, reflect the racism and apartheid regime that is clear to the world. The Center added that at the time the occupation allowed settlers to invade and desecrate Al-Aqsa Mosque and perform religious celebrations and marches inside it, Palestinians were deprived of entering the mosque and they were arrested in case they protested against that. In addition to that, the Israeli soldiers and settlers attacked Palestinians and destroyed their properties during their invasion of the Mosque.
The Center affirms that the willingness of the Israeli occupation to ban Palestinians from accessing Al-Aqsa Mosque indicates clearly that the occupation state does not respect the religious sanctity of Ramadan and does not respect the value of Al-Aqsa Mosque as a holy place for Muslims in general and Palestinians in particular. At the time Muslims and Christians should be allowed to access Jerusalem freely, the occupation authorities restrict their freedom and prevent them from worshiping in the holy places. The Center added that the inciting statements released by the Israeli misters, encourage committing further crimes and violations against Palestinians in Jerusalem.
SHAMS Center deplores the collective sanctions imposed by the occupation’s government on Palestinians in Jerusalem. Among these practices, the Israeli occupation applies the policy of home- demolishing, withdrawal of residency rights in the city, preventing family reunion, and imposing high taxes on Jerusalemite Palestinians. Siege is imposed on Palestinians in Jerusalem and youth are denied entry to Al-Aqsa to pray. Additionally, the Israeli forces have closed the military checkpoints and prevented Palestinians from the West Bank, since October 7, 2023, from accessing Al-Aqsa Mosque, in clear violations of the right to freedom of religion.
SHAMS Center affirms that the various procedures of the Israeli occupation in the West Bank, especially denying Palestinians the right to access Jerusalem, represent a violation of the right to freedom of mobility and the right to perform religious rituals and access worship places. The Israeli practices violate international law and international humanitarian law on more than one level; in particular, the Israeli occupation is violating the Fourth Geneva Convention (dated 12/8/1949). Article 27 of the Convention stipulates: “Protected persons are entitled, in all circumstances, to respect for their persons, their honor, their family rights, their religious convictions and practices, and their manners and customs. They shall at all times be humanely treated, and shall be protected especially against all acts of violence or threats thereof and against insults and public curiosity”. Additionally, the practices of the occupation violate the Second Optional Protocol annexed to the Geneva Conventions to protect the cultural and religious sites. Article 53 of Protocol states: “it is prohibited to commit any acts of hostility directed against the historic monuments, works of art or places of worship which constitute the cultural or spiritual heritage of peoples”. The Israeli occupation is violating international humanitarian law, mainly the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civic and Political Rights. Article 18 of the Declaration states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance”.
SHAMS Center calls on the United Nations, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Arab League, and international governmental/ non-governmental organizations to interfere immediately and exert pressure on the occupation’s state to end its apartheid and racist procedures in Jerusalem in particular and in the entire Occupied Palestinian Territory in general and obligate it to abide by the international law and the international human rights law. The occupation state should be obligated to respect the right of Palestinian Muslims and Christians to access the holy places in Jerusalem and perform their worship rituals.