HALT THE ESCALATION, RESPECTING HUMAN AND CIVIL RIGHTS IS THE DEMAND FOR THE NEXT PHASE
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The Mossawa Center calls on the international community to take immediate and concrete action to put an end to aggression escalation against the Palestinians in Jerusalem, West Bank, Gaza, and inside Israel.
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The ongoing attacks on the residents of Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and the occupation’s permission to steal the residents’ private property is the main reason for the escalation in the area, as the attempts to evict them from East Jerusalem and bring groups of settlers in place of the Palestinians have been ongoing since 1967 and these policies are aimed at uprooting the Palestinian people from their homeland. Despite the importance of legal procedures, they ultimately serve the extreme right-wing Israeli government and settler agenda, yet do not serve the Jewish and Palestinian community alike. The practices carried out by the Israeli government, according to international law, are considered a war crime and must be halted and not practiced under any legal and judicial cover.
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Mossawa Center confirms that the repeated attacks on worshipers in Al-Aqsa Mosque and Holy Sepulchre Church, during the holy month of Ramadan and Easter, are receiving clear and direct support from the Israeli government to serve the settlement project and in order to drag the region into wars and general unrest. The government uses the police and army as an aggressive tool to implement these policies. The Israeli police forces provoke peaceful worshipers and prevent them from practicing religious rituals daily, despite the Israeli government's commitment to religious freedoms in front of the international community in Jerusalem.
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Netanyahu's government, in order to avoid giving up his seat of power, continues to use excessive force to suppress protests aimed at expressing opinion in Arab localities, mixed cities and among groups of students in Israeli universities. Using brutal means of dispersing demonstrations such as stun grenades, tear gas, rubber bullets and batons, and the practice of arbitrary arrests can be clearly seen throughout social media platforms. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Arab protestors have shown no interest in escalation of violence or unrest unless acting in self-defense.
The Israeli police arrested hundreds of demonstrators in several Arab towns, including minors, and put them on trial to extend their detention in order to prevent their participation in future demonstrations. It also interfered with the medical treatments provided to those injured in the demonstrations, as well as fire extinguishing services in Arab localities and Al-Aqsa Mosque that were set by settlers. In addition the harassment faced by journalists, to restrict and prevent media coverage.
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Yesterday, May 11, many settlers organized themselves throughout Arab localities and mixed cities with the intent of inciting clashes with Arab protestors. Screenshots of right wing settler group conversations via Telegram app were leaked showing intent to kill and physically harm Arabs, as well as video evidence of settlers using live ammunition to shoot at Palestinian protestors. Many clashes were provoked and police arrests were discriminatory towards one side.
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We call upon the international community to demand an immediate cease fire and stopping the war on Gaza, preservation of the right to freedom of worship for all, the right of freedom of movement, protection of the right to express opinion and demonstrate without being subjected to security oppression or persecutions, and reject any attempts to seize the property of Palestinian citizens.
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