Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned attacks on worshippers at Al Aqsa mosque, where Palestinians continue to face violence from settlers.
Qatar has strongly condemned the aggression of Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinians at the Damascus Gate of the Al Aqsa mosque, saying it was “a provocation of Muslims all over the world, and a continuation of the Israeli occupation’s provocation of the Palestinian people.”
More than 70 Israeli settlers stormed al Aqsa mosque compound, escorted by Israeli Occupation Forces, and then harassed and threatened Palestinian worshippers.
(via Wafa News Agency) pic.twitter.com/TbRgVzvJjN
— CJ Werleman (@cjwerleman) April 27, 2021
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) stressed “Qatar’s position of rejecting any assault on human rights, using violence against unarmed civilians, and putting barricades to impede the access to Al Aqsa Masjid, denying them of their religious rights and a violation of international law.”
Israel has repeatedly denied Muslims in Palestine access to Al Aqsa Mosque, often requiring permits from the natives to perform religious duties on their own land.
Since the beginning of Ramadan on April 13th, Palestinians have been subjected to increasing attacks by Israeli forces who have prevented Muslims from holding evening gatherings outside the Damascus Gate.
On Tuesday, 75 settlers stormed the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque guarded with heavy security from the Israeli occupation police.
After finally gaining access to Al Aqsa Mosque to perform the nightly Ramadan Tarawih prayer, Palestinians celebrated in front of the Damascus Gate (Bab Al-Amud) in eastern Jerusalem’s Old City.
Occupied Jerusalem has seen mass attacks on Palestinians after a series of rallies by hundreds of far-right Israeli settlers calling for “death to Arabs,” leading to days of ongoing violence outside Jerusalem’s Old City walls and fierce attacks on Palestinians.
Tensions have also risen due to Judaisation projects of the Palestinian capital, with more annexations underway in one of the only remaining Arab neighbourhoods in Jerusalem.
The Palestine Red Crescent said over 100 Palestinians were injured, with dozens being hospitalised due to ongoing assaults. Witnesses said occupying Israeli forces were protecting settlers.
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have also notified the residents of a town in East Jerusalem that it intends to demolish some residential facilities as part of continued Judaisation efforts by Israeli forces.
Residents of the Isawiya town said the occupying authorities stormed the town with military reinforcements and notified them of the issuance of demolition decisions for buildings and residential homes.
Read also: Qatar Twittersphere stands with Palestinians against ‘barbaric’ Israeli attacks
Israel annexed East Jerusalem in 1980, a move unrecognised by the international community.
Sheikh Jarrah evictions
East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood is now facing annexation by Israel, with up to 550 people at risk of being forcibly evicted as Israel continues it ongoing ethnic cleansing campaign to clear the land of the native population.
Sheikh Jarrah is one of the few remaining Arab neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem and is home to 3,000 Palestinians, all of which are refugees were forced out of their homes during the Palestinian Nakba in 1948.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [OCHA], Israeli authorities demolished, forced people to demolish, or seized up to 292 Palestinian-owned structures across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem in the first quarter of 2021 alone.
This has resulted in the displacement of 450 Palestinians, more than half of which were children.
Records show that in the first quarter of 2021 there was a 121% increase in attacks against Palestinian structures and a 126% increase in displacements.
On a monthly average, settler forces have demolished 97 structures, a 37% increase in comparison to 2020 numbers.
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