RAMALLAH, July 22, 2017 (WAFA) – The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemned the Israeli government’s recent measures against al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem as they violate the freedom of worship and are part of the collective punishment policies against civilians.
PCHR condemned the measures taken by the Israeli Government against al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, including closing the mosque; banning prayers; and arresting and interrogating dozens of Islamic Endowments (Awqaf) department’s staff, including the mosque’s guards and the Mufti of Jerusalem.
PCHR, in a statement issued on Friday, emphasized that these measures are part of Israeli policies applied to create a Jewish majority in the City and part of the Israeli collective punishment policy in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) although it is prohibited by International humanitarian law.
PCHR called upon the international community, particularly the Permanent Member States of the UN Security Council and High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, to fulfill their moral and legal obligations according to the UN Charter and the mentioned Convention and to take all deterrent measures against the Israeli government’s serious violations in the oPt.
PCHR also called upon the International community to oblige Israel to stop its measures taken to create a Jewish majority in East Jerusalem, which is an integral part of the oPt.
PCHR reminded the international community of the Israeli forces’ violation of the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.
The center stressed that East Jerusalem is an occupied territory, and all the measures taken by the Israeli authorities following the 1967 occupation of it do not change this legal status.
It called upon the UN to work on protecting civilians in the oPt in general and in East Jerusalem in particular for guaranteeing their freedom to worship and protecting their holy sites.
It also called upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to ensure Israel’s commitment as a State Party to the Conventions to apply them in the oPt, particularly occupied East Jerusalem.
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