BATAN AL-HAWAH

On Friday night, adult settlers attacked a Palestinian child playing in the street in Batan al-Hawah, the section of Silwan at the center of a massive effort by settlers to take over 88 units in this close-knit Palestinian enclave.  The settlers attacked Palestinian respondents with pepper spray.  Settlers were soon joined by the Israeli Police and other security forces, who assailed the Palestinian residents with pepper spray and tear gas, resulting in several hospitalizations for burns sustained to the eyes. Police instituted a 3 hours curfew for the entire street.

On Saturday night, one hundred Palestinian residents accompanied by several Israeli activists held a large street protest.  Between two to three dozen heavily armed Police were deployed.  No clashes were reported.

These incidents demonstrate a dangerous synergy between the actions of radical setters—now taking decisive steps to escalate tensions in the neighborhood in order to expedite evictions of Palestinians from their homes—and policies being executed by Israeli security forces. This weekend’s events not only resulted in physical injury, exacerbated mounting psychological stress and restricted freedom of movement for the men, women and children of Batan al-Hawah; the cooperation documented between settlers and security forces also serves to embolden settlers in their efforts to take over the neighborhood.

Background

On August 6^th, Ir Amim reported the first of what would become a fast unfolding series of settler actions aimed at seizing 88 units in the Batan al-Hawah section of Silwan.That week, the Israeli Execution and Collection authority issued an eviction notice for two units of the Abu Nab family, recently renewed and scheduled to go into effect during the period of October 11-25. In May, some 20 settlers had reportedly taken control of three additional family units, under the protection of Israeli forces. The property is located next to the Beit Dvash settlement and not far from the larger and more controversial Ateret Cohanim settlement of Beit Yonatan.

The Abu Nab units currently under threat are located on one of two plots of land handed over to the Ateret Cohanim settler organization by the Israeli office of the General Custodian, and now the focus of concerted settler efforts to evict Palestinians from their homes. The General Custodian conveyed the land to the Ateret Cohanim managed Benvenisti charitable trust in 2002.  In 2006, the General Custodian directly sold several dozen additional units to Ateret Cohanim, completely bypassing any tender process. 

In addition, last month Ateret Cohanim applied for two building permits for projects on an empty plot of land opposite the Beit Yonatan settlement: one, a permit for a four-story building (exceeding the two-story maximum building height stipulated in the town planning scheme) and two, an adjoining parking space.  As the vacant lot in question actually appears to be outside the parameters of the 88 units, these developments indicate the settler group’s plans to expand even beyond the scope of the two plots conveyed by the General Custodian.  Further, the request for the attached parking space was made by the Ministry of Housing and Construction and the Jerusalem Municipality, signaling additional government support for Ateret Cohanim’s activities. 

The 88 units currently in question represent a potential influx of several hundred settlers into Batan al-Hawah, constituting a major settler stronghold within the core of Silwan, arguably the most politically volatile neighborhood in East Jerusalem given its close proximity to the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif and ongoing actions—both through evictions and touristic settlement projects like the City of David and approved Kedem Compound—to consolidate Israeli control of the neighborhood.

TEMPLE MOUNT/HARAM AL-SHARIF

Early this morning, severe clashes broke out between Palestinians preparing to block access to the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif by Jewish Temple Mount activists and the Israeli Police.  Video footage documents Palestinians taking cover in the mosque and flashes from stun grenades. 

Today’s clashes left roughly 20 Palestinians injured inside the Compound—some by rubber bullets fired by a security force sniper—as well as four journalists covering events on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif.

Also this morning, on Via de la Rosa, close to the Lion’s Gate, Police blocked entrance to the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, throwing stun grenades at a crowd that included a large group of Palestinian school children on the way to their Waqf managed schools and preventing them from passing through Police barricades.

At about 8:00 AM, a group of about 100 Palestinian men and women staged a protest at the Chain Gate that lasted for several hours. Police could be seen shoving protestors.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (and former minister of Housing and Construction) Uri Ariel ascended the Mount early this morning and made a public blessing in the Compound.  Temple Mount activists have already publicized that Jews prayed (in violation of the law) through activists' social media outlets.

Background

As reported last Thursday, recent actions regarding the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif had already ratcheted up tensions during what is traditionally the most combustible time of year for the contested holy site. 

On August 24 Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan formally recommended that the Ministry of Defense outlaw the activities of the murabitun/murabitat (women) – Muslim demonstrators known to harass Jewish Temple Mount activists who ascend to the Al Aqsa Compound.  Last Tuesday, Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon responded to Erdan’s request by signing a decree banning the two groups, claiming “The goal of Morabiton and Morabitat is to undermine Israeli authority on Temple Mount, alter reality and existing arrangements and restrict freedom of worship, and it is tied to the activity of hostile Islamist organizations and even directed by them.”

In the two weeks since Erdan’s recommendation was made public, Police blocked all Muslim women (not necessarily associated with the murabitat) from entering the Al Aqsa Compound from 7:30 AM – 11:00 AM, the period designated for non-Muslim entrance, based on the grounds of security considerations.  This policy constitutes a significant change: while the Israeli Police regularly issues warrants preventing individual Muslims accused of disorderly conduct from entering the Compound, since last November no collective restrictions have been imposed.  For several days, school children whose schools are located in the compound were also denied access, preventing them from reaching their classes.

The Jewish high holidays traditionally serve as a lightning rod for increased ascents by Jews, many impelled by the goal of Jewish sovereignty over the Temple Mount.  Last year, the Tishrei holidays (Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot) provoked the highest levels of violence seen in recent years, ultimately prompting the Jordanian government to recall its ambassador and Prime Minister Netanyahu, under international pressure, to publicly reiterate Israel’s commitment to maintaining the status quo on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif.  This year, the Jewish Tishrei holidays coalesce with the Muslim holiday of Eid-al-Adha, further exacerbating tensions. 

Please direct all inquiries to:

Betty Herschman

Director of International Relations & Advocacy

Ir Amim (City of Nations/City of Peoples)

betty@ir-amim.org.il

054-308-5096

@IrAmimAlerts