The Israeli occupation continues its racist policies in Jerusalem, making desperate attempts to Judaize both people and land, facing no deterrent except the bare-chested resilience of the steadfast Palestinian residents of the city. Israeli policies have gone beyond administrative and legal discrimination and now act without shame, suppressing and punishing anyone who raises their voice in defense of basic rights or in solidarity with Palestinians in other occupied territories, especially Gaza, which continues to suffer from extermination and ethnic cleansing. The latest manifestation of this cruelty is Israel’s deliberate move to ensure that more Gazans leave through the Rafah crossing than return.

In 2025, Israel persisted in forcibly expelling key Jerusalemite figures from the Al-Aqsa Mosque, including the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, who was arrested inside the mosque immediately after Friday prayers—a scene witnessed by worshippers and residents that they will not forget. The police justified the arrest, claiming Sheikh Hussein posed a threat to the public inside Al-Aqsa. Sheikh Muhammad Salim was also arrested at one of the mosque’s gates after Friday prayers for praying for the people of Gaza, and was issued a six-month expulsion order.

Israel, which claims to guarantee freedom of worship, continues to expel three members of the Waqf Council appointed by Jordan—the country holding the Hashemite custodianship over the Islamic and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem: Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, Sheikh Muhammad Sarandah, and Judge Sheikh Ikrima Sabri. Dozens of Waqf employees have also been expelled simply for photographing Jewish intruders or objecting to actions that violate the sanctity of the holy site. These mass expulsions typically increase before Ramadan; over 60 Jerusalemites were expelled during last year’s Ramadan alone, described by police sources as precautionary measures.

Sheikh Yusuf Abu Snina, the preacher and imam of Al-Aqsa, was fined 5,000 shekels (around $1,520) for remarks concerning Gaza made during Friday prayers. Expulsions are not limited to Palestinian Muslims—Israel has also deliberately restricted the entry of Muslim visitors, particularly from Turkey. In one documented incident, an Israeli soldier told a Turkish visitor who came to pray in Al-Aqsa at her father’s request: “Go pray with your president Erdogan.”

Furthermore, on 21 January, Israel once again violated the longstanding Status Quo agreement dating back to the 19th century, officially allowing Jews who storm Al-Aqsa daily to bring Jewish prayer pamphlets into its courtyards. This is despite a clear understanding reached in a 2014 Israeli-Jordanian-American meeting that Al-Aqsa is exclusively for Muslim worship.

Discrimination also continues against Palestinian Christians. During the installation service of Lutheran Bishop Emad Moussa Haddad (Sunday, 11 January), many individuals were denied access to Jerusalem to attend the ceremony. While the event was attended by foreign church leaders, Elias Gharib, director of the Shepherds’ Scout Group, was denied a travel permit for unspecified security reasons. Twelve members of the Talitha Kumi School scouts were also denied permits, and even the bishop himself, a resident of Bethlehem, was granted a limited permit to enter Jerusalem without overnight stay, despite the Lutheran Church’s headquarters being in the Old City.

Meanwhile, Christian schools in Jerusalem declared a strike to protest Israeli authorities’ refusal to grant travel permits to their teachers. According to a statement from Christian educational institutions, 171 teachers and administrative staff lacked sufficient travel permits.

These discriminatory measures continue without any reaction—even formal—from the international community, despite continuous condemnation statements issued by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry. Nevertheless, the residents of Jerusalem remain steadfast. Thousands attended Al-Aqsa Mosque last Friday, preparations are underway for Ramadan, the Lutheran bishop was installed despite restrictions on movement, and the teachers’ strike successfully forced the occupation to grant all necessary permits for education to continue.

The mask of Israel’s claims as a democratic state that respects human rights and freedom of worship is gradually being lifted. Yet the steadfastness of Jerusalem’s people remains the strongest weapon to deter the occupation and its discriminatory policies.

عن العربي الجديد