Tag: Jerusalem - Page 15 - International Solidarity Movement

Siam family from Sheikh Jarrah, struggling against eviction order and not giving up

25th July 2013 |International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah team | East Jerusalem, Occupied Palestine

Another family from Sheikh Jarrah received an eviction order by the Israeli Magistrate’s court. The family has appealed the court’s decision and is awaiting the next court hearing.

The latest family to be given an eviction order in the East Jerusalem neighborhood Sheikh Jarrah is the Siam family. After a six year legal battle, the court has ruled the house to be ;.labsentee property and the eviction has been ratified by the Magistrate’s court. The court has ruled that the family could not prove ownership of the house and therefore should leave the property by the end of July. Nathira Siam has appealed the case to the second court with help from the community. She does not know when the second court hearing will take place, which leaves the family in a situation of insecurity.

The Siam family has been renting the house from a woman called Sabriye Taha since the early 1960’s until she passed away. The family had a rental contract with Sabriye Taha and has been paying her regularly. When Sabryie died, the Israeli government changed the status of the house to absentee property. The Custodian of Absentee Property ordered the family to pay an extra amount of money each month if they wanted to keep the house. This amount of money was constantly raised. They presented this to Nathira Siam in a contract in Hebrew, which she was not able to understand. Nathira explains that they forced her to sign the paper by telling her that she would otherwise lose her house.

The Israeli government was able to do so according to the law of Absentee Property from 1950. This law applies to property and property rights, belonging to anyone who was not present at his home in Israeli controlled areas during the period between November 1947 and 19th May 1948. The Israeli authority was not obligated to inform the concerned party, meaning families could lose their homes without even being aware of it. Additionally the families would not get any compensation for the loss of their homes. When the law was passed, East Jerusalem was under Jordanian control and was therefore not included in this. However, after the illegal annexation of East Jerusalem into the state of Israel, the homes of the Palestinians fall under the law of Absentee Property. In the 1970’s, due to international condemnation of the practice of this law, the residents of East Jerusalem were temporarily exempt from it. Nevertheless, once the original owner dies the property again falls into the category of Absentee Property. This is the case of the Siam family after the death of Sabriye Taha.

Nathira Siam (Photo by ISM) — Nathira Siam in her house (Photo by ISM)

When asked where the family would go if evicted after the next court hearing, Nathira Siam says that she has nowhere to go, she has only God. However, she stays strong and insists that she did not even consider the possibility of having to leave her home through the last 50 years.

The case of the Siam family does not stand alone. Most of the families on the street have received eviction orders and are facing the same process as the Siam family. Since 2008, in the area of Sheik Jarrah, three families have been evicted and their homes taken over by settlers. In addition, several buildings in the neighbourhood have been taken over by settlers, including the front building of al Kurd’s family home.

This is part of the Israeli policy of ethnic cleansing in Jerusalem and greater Palestine. The ultimate aim of the Zionist organizations that are behind the evictions of Palestinian families is to convert Sheikh Jarrah into a new Jewish settlement and to create a Jewish continuum that will effectively cut off the Old City from the northern Palestinian neighborhoods.

Palestinian right to Jerusalem only valid for 10 years

24th July 2013 | International Campaign to Protect Palestinian Residency in Jerusalem | Jerusalem, Occupied Palestine

The Jerusalemites Campaign strongly condemns Israel’s recent change in its issuing of Jerusalem IDs, which now include expiration dates.

Since the beginning of July, Jerusalem residents who have gone to the Ministry of Interior to receive new IDs have obtained ones valid for only 10 years. Prior to this, IDs had no explicit expiration date.

The implications of this policy change are significant. Once implemented collectively, all Palestinian Jerusalemites who hold permanent residency status will be obligated to go to the Ministry of Interior to renew their IDs upon such expiration. It can be expected, then, that they will be subjected to the MOI’s Center of Life policy, which requires Palestinians through an exhaustive list of documents to prove Jerusalem as their continuous, uninterrupted center of life. Those who are unable to meet the Ministry’s excessive list of demands will render themselves at threat of having their IDs revoked and, accordingly, their rights to live in Jerusalem stripped.

Until now, many Jerusalemites avoid any reason to go to the MOI for fear of the Center of Life policy; it has been reported that even those who have never lived outside of the city have previously failed to satisfy the Ministry’s expectations on this measure. If Jerusalemites lose their residency status and are without nationality elsewhere, they become part of the city’s growing stateless population.

This policy exists in stark contrast to that applied to Israelis, who are permitted to hold dual-nationality with another state and whose citizenships have no expiration date. Jerusalemites, despite having been born in the city, remain at constant threat of losing their right to live within its borders; Jews around the world – some of whom have never previously been to Israel – are, to the contrary, encouraged by the occupying state to claim aliyah and migrate to Israel.

The Jerusalemites Campaign views this policy change as a further step in Israel’s effort to Judaize the city of Jerusalem. Residency revocation has remained an ongoing method of forced displacement since 1967, and serves to establish and preserve the city’s demographic balance, reinforcing its aim of an “absolute Jewish majority,” as articulated within the Municipality’s master plan. The change is particularly noteworthy as it coincides with Israel’s agreement to return to US-sponsored peace negotiations, of which Jerusalem remains a final-status issue.

Restriction of movement remains for Palestinians during Ramadan

20th July 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Ramallah Team | Qalandiya, Occupied Palestine

On the second Friday during Ramadan, hundreds of Palestinians from the West Bank crossed Qalandiya checkpoint to access Jerusalem and pray at the Al Aqsa mosque.

From the early hours of Friday, many hundreds of Palestinians from all across the West Bank queued at Qalandiya checkpoint, the main access to Jerusalem. Although the first prayer of the day was at 4am, Israeli authorities did not allow anyone to cross until that time, meaning that no one could access the mosque for the Fajr prayer.

Palestinian women waiting in the queu for Israeli soldiers to let them through the checkpoint (Photo by ISM) — Palestinian women waiting in the queue for Israeli soldiers to let them through the checkpoint (Photo by ISM)

Before 4am, women, children and people with special needs were already waiting at the “Humanitarian lane” located in the usual entrance to the terminal. A roadblock was set up across the road and Israeli soldiers behind the roadblock were gradually letting people go through.

In the mens lane, located on the opposite side, soldiers were also guarding the line behind the roadblock. However, all men between the age of twelve and forty were denied access and turned back. When asked, several Palestinian youths waiting near the roadblock said: “We cannot go to Jerusalem and pray at Al Aqsa just because we are Palestinians and under forty years old”.

Whilst women are allowed to go to Jerusalem without permits, men between the ages of twelve to thirty-five are still never granted access. Even access for those people that Israel claims to allow to enter freely is “conditional on individual security restrictions”.

During the Muslim holiday month of Ramadan, Israel authorities claim to make concessions to those who wish to visit the Al Aqsa compound. Friday is the holy day in Islam, making the four Fridays during Ramadan particularly important times for Palestinians to reach Al Aqsa mosque for prayer whilst they are fasting.

Palestinian youths hanging around the roadblock not being allowed to go to Jerusalem (Photo by ISM) — Palestinian youth waiting at the roadblock not being allowed to go to Jerusalem (Photo by ISM)

Although the Israeli authorities present this access as a generous concession, Palestinians should be able to access their own land freely and without requiring permission.

The Apartheid Wall splits the Palestinian capital, Jerusalem, from the West Bank. The city contains one of the most holy sites in Islam, the Al Aqsa compound, which is therefore unreachable for the majority of the Palestinian population. Although the 1967 borders show that East Jerusalem, including the old city and Al Aqsa are part of the West Bank, Israel unilaterally moved the border back over seventy kilometres, annexing East Jerusalem.

“Knocking on the gates of Jerusalem”: demonstration against injustice of Israeli occupation

29th June 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil team | Bethlehem, Occupied Palestine

Today, Saturday 29th June, a group of Palestinian activists demanded access to the occupied city of Jerusalem through the gate in the Apartheid Wall in Bethlehem. Their nonviolent demonstration also aimed to highlight Palestinian opposition to the US Secretary of State John Kerry’s visit, but was met with violence from the Israeli occupation military. The Apartheid Wall gate was closed in the face of the protesters, shutting them out of their illegally occupied land.

Activists head for Jerusalem, aiming to walk through the Apartheid Wall checkpoint (Photo by: ISM)

At around 11am Palestinian activists, accompanied by international demonstrators, walked towards the checkpoint in the Apartheid Wall towards Jerusalem. Access is granted by the Israeli occupation authorities for very few Palestinians –people between the ages of 18-45 are routinely denied permits. The Palestinian demonstrators demanded right of entry to their capital city, Jerusalem. Israeli occupation military immediately reacted violently at the checkpoint, pushing and shoving non-violent protesters. One demonstrator was pushed aggressively to the ground by a heavily armed Israeli soldier.

Around twenty soldiers were involved in suppressing the peaceful demonstration, and after around ten minutes of harassment of the Palestinian protesters, they closed the Apartheid Wall gate. This is the second attempt in two weeks of Palestinians to cross into occupied Jerusalem. They vow to continue to demand an end to the restriction of movement imposed on the Palestinian people by the Israeli occupation.

Israeli soldier violently pushes back peaceful demonstrators (Photo by: ISM)

Protesters held signs saying “Kerry go home” and slogans about apartheid. US Secretary of State John Kerry was permitted to enter occupied Jerusalem two days ago on Thursday 27th June, where he met Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His meeting with the Palestinian authority president Mahmoud Abbas was forced to take place in Amman, Jordan rather than occupied Jerusalem. Kerry is advocating “peace talks”, but has not taken strong action against the Israeli obstacles to peace which include denying the right of return of the Palestinian refugees and increasing illegal settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem; as Kerry arrived into the Middle East, Netanyahu approved yet another settlement expansion into East Jerusalem. Further, the US continues to fund the Israeli occupation government and military operations to the tune of over $3 billion a year.

The Palestinians will continue to knock on the gates of Jerusalem to highlight the injustices of the Israeli occupation.

Apartheid Wall checkpoint is closed, blocking Palestinians from their occupied capital (Photo by: ISM)

“Next time we will pray in Jerusalem” – activists demonstrate at apartheid checkpoint blocking access to occupied Jerusalem

22nd June 2013 | International Solidarity Movement, Khalil Team | Bethlehem, Occupied Palestine

In the morning of June 22nd, Palestinian, international and Israeli activists marched to the Israeli occupation military checkpoint blocking the West Bank from Jerusalem. Upon reaching the Israeli occupation roadblock, they were stopped by soldiers who violently prevented them from passing through the checkpoint. In reaction, the Palestinian activists prayed at the checkpoint, demonstrating their right to both freedom of movement within their own land, and freedom to worship in Jerusalem.

Protester being harassed by Israeli military in front of checkpoint (Photo by: ISM)

The activists arrived on the Bethlehem road, driving towards the military checkpoint separating south West Bank from Jerusalem. Around fifty meters from the checkpoint, they exited vehicles and marched towards the occupied land on the other side of the checkpoint manned by Israeli occupation military. The activists wore kuffiyehs and carried Palestinian flags, carrying a sign reading “Our land is our right”, “Free”, “Justice.”

Demonstrators were immediately confronted by Israeli occupation military personnel, who refused them passage through the checkpoint and tried to push them back. Palestinian activists were grabbed violently by soldiers, who pulled at their clothes and shoved them out of the road and away from the area.

However, activists refused to back down and instead chanted slogans and spoke about their right to freely enter occupied Jerusalem. An Israeli occupation police car and several military jeeps arrived to further repress the nonviolent demonstration. The violence from the soldiers continued and escalated when activists were threatened with pepper spray. In reaction to this, the Palestinian protesters began praying on the Bethlehem side of the checkpoint.

Following the prayer, the activists stated that they were leaving, but that they would return soon and that the next time they prayed it would be in Jerusalem.

This demonstration aimed to highlight the human rights abuses that the Palestinian people are subjected to every day because of the occupation. Restriction of movement is widespread across the West Bank, with permission from the Israeli occupation authorities being demanded for Palestinians to be allowed to travel their own land. This permission is granted very rarely, and usually excludes people aged 18-45.

Border police officer using force against nonviolent protesters (Photo by: ISM)

In Islam and Christianity, Jerusalem is one of the primary religious sites. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion…to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.” This human right is blatantly denied through acts committed by the Israeli occupation authorities and military every day.

The presence of international and Israeli activists also highlighted the apartheid policies of Israel, as they would have been permitted to pass through the checkpoint and enter Jerusalem, had they not stood in solidarity with their Palestinian friends, who were not allowed passage. During the demonstration, many Israeli colonists’ cars were granted access easily to the stolen Palestinian land.

Protesters praying in front of the checkpoint to occupied Jerusalem (Photo by: ISM)