13 apr 2017
Jerusalemite sources told Quds Press that the number of settlers who broke into al-Aqsa Mosque in Occupied Jerusalem on Thursday jumped to 385 including 133 settlers during the evening hours and 252 in the morning.
The settlers’ incursion into al-Aqsa Mosque plazas was carried out from the Israeli-controlled al-Magharebah gate amid Israeli tightened security measures.
Israeli police searched and arrested two young men in the courtyards of al-Aqsa Mosque before releasing them later on and denying them access to the Muslims' holy shrine, Jerusalemite media sources reported.
Jordan condemns settlers’ incursion into al-Aqsa Mosque
The Jordanian government condemned the massive incursion of Israeli settlers into the plazas of al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of Israeli police.
Dr. Mohammad Al Momani, Jordanian Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications and Jordan Government Spokesman said, in a statement on Thursday, “We strongly refuse such practices which desecrate the sanctity of the holy site and provokes Muslims all over the world". He asked the Israeli authorities to bring such actions to an immediate end.
The Jordanian official called on the international community to shoulder their responsibilities toward the issue of East Jerusalem in accordance with the international and humanitarian laws.
Al-Aqsa Mosque has been witnessing massive incursions since Wednesday morning by settlers including the two notorious extremists: Moshe Feiglin and Yehudah Etzion who keep calling for the establishment of the "Jewish Temple" on the ruins of al-Aqsa Mosque.
The settlers’ incursion into al-Aqsa Mosque plazas was carried out from the Israeli-controlled al-Magharebah gate amid Israeli tightened security measures.
Israeli police searched and arrested two young men in the courtyards of al-Aqsa Mosque before releasing them later on and denying them access to the Muslims' holy shrine, Jerusalemite media sources reported.
Jordan condemns settlers’ incursion into al-Aqsa Mosque
The Jordanian government condemned the massive incursion of Israeli settlers into the plazas of al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of Israeli police.
Dr. Mohammad Al Momani, Jordanian Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications and Jordan Government Spokesman said, in a statement on Thursday, “We strongly refuse such practices which desecrate the sanctity of the holy site and provokes Muslims all over the world". He asked the Israeli authorities to bring such actions to an immediate end.
The Jordanian official called on the international community to shoulder their responsibilities toward the issue of East Jerusalem in accordance with the international and humanitarian laws.
Al-Aqsa Mosque has been witnessing massive incursions since Wednesday morning by settlers including the two notorious extremists: Moshe Feiglin and Yehudah Etzion who keep calling for the establishment of the "Jewish Temple" on the ruins of al-Aqsa Mosque.
Thousands of Israeli settlers, escorted by heavily-armed forces, stormed on Thursday morning the Ibrahimi Mosque, in al-Khalil, to mark the Jewish Passover Holiday.
Thousands of settlers stormed the Ibrahimi Mosque shortly after the Israeli occupation forces closed the site before the Muslim worshipers and non-Jewish visitors.
The Palestinian Awqaf Ministry strongly condemned the mass desecration of the Ibrahimi Mosque and crackdowns on the peaceful Muslim worshipers, which do represent flagrant violations of the freedom of worship granted by all international laws and treaties.
The ministry warned of Israeli attempts to alter the Islamic idiosyncrasy of the Ibrahimi Mosque against Muslims’ will and urged all concerned institutions to speak up against Israel’s incessant aggressions on Islamic places of worship.
Thousands of settlers stormed the Ibrahimi Mosque shortly after the Israeli occupation forces closed the site before the Muslim worshipers and non-Jewish visitors.
The Palestinian Awqaf Ministry strongly condemned the mass desecration of the Ibrahimi Mosque and crackdowns on the peaceful Muslim worshipers, which do represent flagrant violations of the freedom of worship granted by all international laws and treaties.
The ministry warned of Israeli attempts to alter the Islamic idiosyncrasy of the Ibrahimi Mosque against Muslims’ will and urged all concerned institutions to speak up against Israel’s incessant aggressions on Islamic places of worship.
Over 100 Israeli settlers stormed on Thursday morning al-Aqsa Mosque—the third holiest site in Islam—via the Maghareba Gate.
The break-in was carried out under heavy police escort as part of the morning break-in shift that started at around 7 a.m.
Prior to the break-in, Israeli policemen unlocked the Maghareba Gate and cordoned off the plazas of al-Aqsa, sparking tension at and around the site.
At the same time, the Israeli forces continue to prevent a group of Muslim women from entering al-Aqsa Mosque to perform their religious prayers.
The break-in falls in line with the seven-day Jewish Passover holiday, during which mass desecration break-ins are often carried out into al-Aqsa under the religious pretext.
The break-in was carried out under heavy police escort as part of the morning break-in shift that started at around 7 a.m.
Prior to the break-in, Israeli policemen unlocked the Maghareba Gate and cordoned off the plazas of al-Aqsa, sparking tension at and around the site.
At the same time, the Israeli forces continue to prevent a group of Muslim women from entering al-Aqsa Mosque to perform their religious prayers.
The break-in falls in line with the seven-day Jewish Passover holiday, during which mass desecration break-ins are often carried out into al-Aqsa under the religious pretext.
In one case examined by the human rights organization Yesh Din, the Judea and Samaria District Police closed an investigation of an attack by Jewish settlers on a Palestinian home, even though Israeli soldiers witnessed the incident and it was recorded on video. In another instance, the police closed an investigation into the attempted kidnapping of a Palestinian child without checking security cameras at the scene. Another time, the police closed a case against Israeli teens who sprayed a Palestinian with pepper spray, even though the teens’ claim of self-defense was contradicted by statements by soldiers who were witnesses as well as a physical examination of the victim.
In August 2014, stones were thrown at the home of Bilal Eid, a Palestinian resident of Burin. The house stands apart from other homes in the village, and is about 900 meters from the Givat Ronen outpost. Three Jewish minors smashed flood lights near the home and, according to Eid’s police complaint, tried to break in. Video obtained by Yesh Din showed the lights being broken, the faces of the attackers and a number of soldiers standing near the perpetrators. Nevertheless, the investigation was closed; the police never watched the video.
“I tried to watch the flash drive the complainant attached to the file to check if we could identify the suspects in the incident,” read an investigation memo. We couldn’t watch it.”
According to investigation paperwork, the police requested a replacement flash drive a year after the original complaint was submitted, but Eid said he did not have another copy of the video. The police asked army officers in Samaria to check if the army had documentation of the incident. There was a report that “settlers messed with the electricity poles,” but searches did not turn up anything. The case was closed.
Haaretz had no problem watching the video, which clearly shows settlers sabotaging the home’s light poles. Soldiers are seen standing next to them without trying to stop them. Yesh Din filed an appeal in September against the closing of the investigation, a ruling on which is pending.
“An investigator cannot write something like this and throw the flash drive into the trash,” a senior officer who once served in the Judea and Samaria District told Haaretz. “He can’t run the investigation any way he wants to. It is much more complex and supervised,” said the senior officer, who was speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Indeed, the case of Bilal Eid is not the only one in which the police handling of claims of violence against Palestinians raised question marks. In December 2014, for example, a Palestinian man, whose name remains confidential, complained that some Israelis had tried to snatch his son through the open window of his car, while he stopped next to a grocer in Hawara. The man described in his complaint in detail the car in which the attackers drove — a red Subaru Justy with a license number ending in 03.
According to an appeal by Yesh Din, the complainant said there were security cameras in the area, and that a man named Karem was an eyewitness to the incident. However, the investigation files show that the cameras were never checked, and the eyewitness was never called in. Police closed the case, and an appeal was filed in August 2015.
The complainant’s lawyer, Michal Pasovsky, called the police’s attention to an interesting coincidence in a letter she sent two weeks after filing the appeal. An indictment filed against an Israeli for torching a Palestinian-owned car and painting graffiti indicated that he was the owner of the red Subaru Justy with the license plate ending in 03. While the car’s owner was acquitted, Pasovsky suggested it was worth checking out the coincidence.
“Closing and opening a case doesn’t sound so good,” said a retired senior officer. “At the same time, you have to see what the reasons are.” He stressed that the fact that the complainant did not cooperate with the police is no good reason to close the case. “We don’t need cooperation,” he said. “The moment he filed a complaint, it’s all over from our perspective. You don’t need his cooperation anymore.”
Even when police did make some effort to investigate, cases were often closed for reasons that appeared unjustifiable. In January 2015, for instance, a Palestinian man complained of being beaten and sprayed with pepper spray near his home in Hebron by 14 Jewish teenagers. When he shouted for soldiers at a nearby checkpoint to come help, the teens fled toward the Tel Rumeida neighborhood, he said.
The soldiers spotted the teens at the checkpoint and arrested two, one of whom was carrying pepper spray. The teen said he had used it in self-defense, but the soldier who arrested the boys told the police he saw no signs of injury on them and that the two had coordinated their stories while he was standing there listening.
When questioned by police, one of the teens reiterated that he used the spray in self-defense and the other denied any connection to the incident. But the Palestinian identified both boys as his assailants. Moreover, while the boys showed no signs of injury, a policeman noted that the Palestinian had bruises on his arm and upper body; that his left eye was swollen shut, apparently due to repeated rubbing after being hit by the pepper spray; and that he smelled strongly of the spray.
Yet two months later, the complainant was questioned again — this time, as the suspect in an assault. And in May of that year, both cases were closed without charges being filed.
In March, Haaretz reported that of 89 assault complaints filed by Palestinians against Israelis in 2015, only four, or 4.5 percent, resulted in indictments.
The police responded by saying that "investigation of complaints on the issue of politically motivated crime is carried out professionally, and the police invest great effort in discovering evidence and establishing an evidentiary infrastructure. In the past year, dozens of indictments were filed, and the police works and will continue to work to catch the criminals and bring them to justice."
In August 2014, stones were thrown at the home of Bilal Eid, a Palestinian resident of Burin. The house stands apart from other homes in the village, and is about 900 meters from the Givat Ronen outpost. Three Jewish minors smashed flood lights near the home and, according to Eid’s police complaint, tried to break in. Video obtained by Yesh Din showed the lights being broken, the faces of the attackers and a number of soldiers standing near the perpetrators. Nevertheless, the investigation was closed; the police never watched the video.
“I tried to watch the flash drive the complainant attached to the file to check if we could identify the suspects in the incident,” read an investigation memo. We couldn’t watch it.”
According to investigation paperwork, the police requested a replacement flash drive a year after the original complaint was submitted, but Eid said he did not have another copy of the video. The police asked army officers in Samaria to check if the army had documentation of the incident. There was a report that “settlers messed with the electricity poles,” but searches did not turn up anything. The case was closed.
Haaretz had no problem watching the video, which clearly shows settlers sabotaging the home’s light poles. Soldiers are seen standing next to them without trying to stop them. Yesh Din filed an appeal in September against the closing of the investigation, a ruling on which is pending.
“An investigator cannot write something like this and throw the flash drive into the trash,” a senior officer who once served in the Judea and Samaria District told Haaretz. “He can’t run the investigation any way he wants to. It is much more complex and supervised,” said the senior officer, who was speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Indeed, the case of Bilal Eid is not the only one in which the police handling of claims of violence against Palestinians raised question marks. In December 2014, for example, a Palestinian man, whose name remains confidential, complained that some Israelis had tried to snatch his son through the open window of his car, while he stopped next to a grocer in Hawara. The man described in his complaint in detail the car in which the attackers drove — a red Subaru Justy with a license number ending in 03.
According to an appeal by Yesh Din, the complainant said there were security cameras in the area, and that a man named Karem was an eyewitness to the incident. However, the investigation files show that the cameras were never checked, and the eyewitness was never called in. Police closed the case, and an appeal was filed in August 2015.
The complainant’s lawyer, Michal Pasovsky, called the police’s attention to an interesting coincidence in a letter she sent two weeks after filing the appeal. An indictment filed against an Israeli for torching a Palestinian-owned car and painting graffiti indicated that he was the owner of the red Subaru Justy with the license plate ending in 03. While the car’s owner was acquitted, Pasovsky suggested it was worth checking out the coincidence.
“Closing and opening a case doesn’t sound so good,” said a retired senior officer. “At the same time, you have to see what the reasons are.” He stressed that the fact that the complainant did not cooperate with the police is no good reason to close the case. “We don’t need cooperation,” he said. “The moment he filed a complaint, it’s all over from our perspective. You don’t need his cooperation anymore.”
Even when police did make some effort to investigate, cases were often closed for reasons that appeared unjustifiable. In January 2015, for instance, a Palestinian man complained of being beaten and sprayed with pepper spray near his home in Hebron by 14 Jewish teenagers. When he shouted for soldiers at a nearby checkpoint to come help, the teens fled toward the Tel Rumeida neighborhood, he said.
The soldiers spotted the teens at the checkpoint and arrested two, one of whom was carrying pepper spray. The teen said he had used it in self-defense, but the soldier who arrested the boys told the police he saw no signs of injury on them and that the two had coordinated their stories while he was standing there listening.
When questioned by police, one of the teens reiterated that he used the spray in self-defense and the other denied any connection to the incident. But the Palestinian identified both boys as his assailants. Moreover, while the boys showed no signs of injury, a policeman noted that the Palestinian had bruises on his arm and upper body; that his left eye was swollen shut, apparently due to repeated rubbing after being hit by the pepper spray; and that he smelled strongly of the spray.
Yet two months later, the complainant was questioned again — this time, as the suspect in an assault. And in May of that year, both cases were closed without charges being filed.
In March, Haaretz reported that of 89 assault complaints filed by Palestinians against Israelis in 2015, only four, or 4.5 percent, resulted in indictments.
The police responded by saying that "investigation of complaints on the issue of politically motivated crime is carried out professionally, and the police invest great effort in discovering evidence and establishing an evidentiary infrastructure. In the past year, dozens of indictments were filed, and the police works and will continue to work to catch the criminals and bring them to justice."
12 apr 2017
Extremist Israeli colonists wrote, earlier Wednesday, racist graffiti, including the largely-used “Death To Arabs,” on a wall of a Palestinian neighborhood, in occupied East Jerusalem.
The racist graffiti was written in the Baq’a Palestinian neighborhood, and were uncovered by locals who called the Police.
Besides “Death To Arabs,” among the racist graffiti was “Arabs Go Home,” “Revenge,” Kahane Was Right,” and “We Will Not Be Silent.”
Groups of fanatic Israeli colonists have been responsible for thousands of assaults, including burning homes, cars and other property, in addition to setting mosques and churches ablaze, defacing graveyards and buildings, and burning Palestinian lands.
One of the most extreme crimes was the terrorist attack that targeted a home, belonging to Dawabsha family, in Douma village, in the northern West Bank district of Nablus, in which Reham Dawabsha, 27, her husband, Sa’ad Dawabsha, 32, and their infant, Ali Dawabsha, 18 months, were burnt to death, and the only survivor, Ahmad Dawabsha, 5, suffered second-degree burns to 60% of his body.
The racist graffiti was written in the Baq’a Palestinian neighborhood, and were uncovered by locals who called the Police.
Besides “Death To Arabs,” among the racist graffiti was “Arabs Go Home,” “Revenge,” Kahane Was Right,” and “We Will Not Be Silent.”
Groups of fanatic Israeli colonists have been responsible for thousands of assaults, including burning homes, cars and other property, in addition to setting mosques and churches ablaze, defacing graveyards and buildings, and burning Palestinian lands.
One of the most extreme crimes was the terrorist attack that targeted a home, belonging to Dawabsha family, in Douma village, in the northern West Bank district of Nablus, in which Reham Dawabsha, 27, her husband, Sa’ad Dawabsha, 32, and their infant, Ali Dawabsha, 18 months, were burnt to death, and the only survivor, Ahmad Dawabsha, 5, suffered second-degree burns to 60% of his body.
Israeli settlers, guided by two fanatic leaders, stormed on Wednesday morning the plazas of holy al-Aqsa Mosque.
A PIC news correspondent said 162 Israeli settlers led by former fanatic MK Moshe Feiglin and the founder of the secret Jewish movement Hai Vekayam that planned for blasts at al-Aqsa in the 1980s Yehuda Etzion broke into the site via the Maghareba Gate.
At around 7:30 a.m. Israeli policemen intensified presence at and around al-Aqsa Mosque, paving the way for the break-in.
The Israeli forces have cracked down on the Muslim worshipers and youth at al-Aqsa for the third consecutive day, denying them access to the site to perform their prayers.
The break-ins were carried out following calls launched by Israel’s Temple Mount organizations to desecrate al-Aqsa on the occasion of the seven-day Jewish Passover holiday.
A PIC news correspondent said 162 Israeli settlers led by former fanatic MK Moshe Feiglin and the founder of the secret Jewish movement Hai Vekayam that planned for blasts at al-Aqsa in the 1980s Yehuda Etzion broke into the site via the Maghareba Gate.
At around 7:30 a.m. Israeli policemen intensified presence at and around al-Aqsa Mosque, paving the way for the break-in.
The Israeli forces have cracked down on the Muslim worshipers and youth at al-Aqsa for the third consecutive day, denying them access to the site to perform their prayers.
The break-ins were carried out following calls launched by Israel’s Temple Mount organizations to desecrate al-Aqsa on the occasion of the seven-day Jewish Passover holiday.
11 apr 2017
A group of Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian child in al-Khalil on Tuesday leaving him suffering from different injuries and bruises.
According to the PIC reporter, the 14-year-old Hassan Shaloudi was transferred to hospital after being brutally beaten by a group of settlers while on his way to school.
The assault occurred Tuesday morning when the settlers stopped Hassan and ordered him to open his bag and to throw all its content onto the ground. The schoolboy was then beaten after he refused to do so.
Hassan fainted and was left bleeding on the ground before being taken to hospital.
Palestinians in occupied West Bank towns and villages are often subjected to violent attacks by Israeli settlers, mostly under Israeli forces’ protection.
According to the PIC reporter, the 14-year-old Hassan Shaloudi was transferred to hospital after being brutally beaten by a group of settlers while on his way to school.
The assault occurred Tuesday morning when the settlers stopped Hassan and ordered him to open his bag and to throw all its content onto the ground. The schoolboy was then beaten after he refused to do so.
Hassan fainted and was left bleeding on the ground before being taken to hospital.
Palestinians in occupied West Bank towns and villages are often subjected to violent attacks by Israeli settlers, mostly under Israeli forces’ protection.
The Israeli forces stormed late on Monday evening holy al-Aqsa Mosque via the Maghareba Gate and cracked down on the Muslim sit-inners.
The Israeli forces intensified their presence at al-Aqsa gates and cracked down on the Muslim worshipers who headed to the mosque to perform dawn prayers.
The occupation soldiers also seized the IDs of Muslim young men at the mosque.
The crackdown falls in with the first day of the Jewish Passover holiday.
The Israeli troops turned the Old City of Occupied Jerusalem into a military barrack, sparking tension across the area.
At the same time, calls have been launched by Israel’s Temple Mount organizations for mass break-ins into al-Aqsa on Tuesday to celebrate the seven-day Passover.
Meanwhile, the Islamic commissions in Occupied Jerusalem urged the Muslim masses to step up vigil at al-Aqsa so as to defend it against Israel’s mass desecration schemes.
The Jerusalemite institutions also called on the world’s governments and peoples to rally around the Palestinians in the face of Israel’s aggressions against al-Aqsa Mosque—the third holiest site in Islam.
The Israeli forces intensified their presence at al-Aqsa gates and cracked down on the Muslim worshipers who headed to the mosque to perform dawn prayers.
The occupation soldiers also seized the IDs of Muslim young men at the mosque.
The crackdown falls in with the first day of the Jewish Passover holiday.
The Israeli troops turned the Old City of Occupied Jerusalem into a military barrack, sparking tension across the area.
At the same time, calls have been launched by Israel’s Temple Mount organizations for mass break-ins into al-Aqsa on Tuesday to celebrate the seven-day Passover.
Meanwhile, the Islamic commissions in Occupied Jerusalem urged the Muslim masses to step up vigil at al-Aqsa so as to defend it against Israel’s mass desecration schemes.
The Jerusalemite institutions also called on the world’s governments and peoples to rally around the Palestinians in the face of Israel’s aggressions against al-Aqsa Mosque—the third holiest site in Islam.
10 apr 2017
Groups of Israeli settlers, on Monday morning, have entered the yards of Al-Aqsa mosque in small and consecutive groups, from the Magharba gate, under heavy protection by Israeli forces.
According to the PNN, a total of 33 settlers entered the yards of the mosque without permission, despite such actions continuing to trigger provocations amongst the Muslim Palestinian population.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam and is also venerated as Judaism’s most holy place. Disputes surrounding visitation to the site have historically flared tensions in the occupied Palestinian territory.
In 2003, the Israeli government unilaterally decided — despite the objections of the Islamic Endowments Department — to allow non-Muslim visitors into the complex.
Since then, under increasingly right-wing Israeli governments, extremist Jewish settlers have been allowed into the site in ever greater numbers — usually protected by Israeli security forces — while Palestinian access to the site has become increasingly restricted.
Christians outside of the Levant remain divided on the issue, as biblical end times prophecy states: “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” ~Revelation 21:22
However, settler attacks on Christian holy sites have been progressive in recent years, and are on the increase.
According to the PNN, a total of 33 settlers entered the yards of the mosque without permission, despite such actions continuing to trigger provocations amongst the Muslim Palestinian population.
Al-Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam and is also venerated as Judaism’s most holy place. Disputes surrounding visitation to the site have historically flared tensions in the occupied Palestinian territory.
In 2003, the Israeli government unilaterally decided — despite the objections of the Islamic Endowments Department — to allow non-Muslim visitors into the complex.
Since then, under increasingly right-wing Israeli governments, extremist Jewish settlers have been allowed into the site in ever greater numbers — usually protected by Israeli security forces — while Palestinian access to the site has become increasingly restricted.
Christians outside of the Levant remain divided on the issue, as biblical end times prophecy states: “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” ~Revelation 21:22
However, settler attacks on Christian holy sites have been progressive in recent years, and are on the increase.
Many extremist Israeli colonists invaded, earlier Monday, Palestinian olive orchards in Mikhmas village, southeast of the occupied East Jerusalem, in the West Bank, and uprooted 310 old olive trees, owned by several Palestinian villagers.
Media sources said the assailants invaded orchards, owned by Ali Aref al-Haj, Abdul-Samea’ Mhanna and Dahesh Mhanna.
The sources added that Israeli soldiers came to the orchards while the settlers were uprooting the old olive trees, but did not remove or apprehend any of them.
The attack is the second targeting Mikhmas orchards in the past two years, as the previous invasion into the orchards resulting in uprooting 200 olive trees.
Media sources said the assailants invaded orchards, owned by Ali Aref al-Haj, Abdul-Samea’ Mhanna and Dahesh Mhanna.
The sources added that Israeli soldiers came to the orchards while the settlers were uprooting the old olive trees, but did not remove or apprehend any of them.
The attack is the second targeting Mikhmas orchards in the past two years, as the previous invasion into the orchards resulting in uprooting 200 olive trees.