Recently Israel decided to prevent any activity which Palestinians plan to hold in Jerusalem as a part of the “Jerusalem a capital of Arab Culture” in the Palestinian territories. The Israeli government decided to prevent the activities, imprisoned more than twenty two Palestinians in East Jerusalem, and commanded the Police to do anything needed in order to prevent the cultural activities which were planned to be held.

An argument was felt inside the Israeli community about the decision to prevent activities which are only about Culture and entertainment. Some said that the decision to prevent these activities was made to prevent any kind of Arab or Palestinian control inside Jerusalem and to embody the Israeli thought of United Jerusalem as one capital of the Israeli state. Others considered this decision an embarrassing decision to Israel in the world since the foreign News agencies broadcasted the picture of the Israeli soldiers while they were arresting young Palestinians and women, and even attacked young children which were dancing in the streets.

They say that Israel always considered Jerusalem a capital for the different cultures and religions and this action made by the Israeli government prove that the true Israeli intentions are to turn the city into a Jewish. The Palestinians refused the Israeli decision and continued to hold the activities inside Jerusalem despite all the trouble and obstacles. The Israeli police could not hold any Palestinian in prison for more than twenty four hours since there is no law to punish someone who is dancing in the streets.

The pressure which the Israeli police is implying in East Jerusalem, and the hard life which the Palestinians are living everyday are causing more hate and violence in the city. The Israeli Intelligence and Police worked on destroying any kind of leadership in the city; even community leaders were prevented from working. Currently, the city is living a chaotic situation with no law implied in it; the Palestinian security forces are not allowed to interfere in the city affairs, and the Israeli security forces mission is either to destroy houses, or to prevent activities such as the latest one.

Since many years, Israel tries to turn the city into becoming Jewish in its both sides: the east and the west. However, it seems that the plan did not work well and the Palestinian population in East Jerusalem is not only becoming closer to the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, but also are becoming more religious and close to religion. Once pressure is implied, extreme actions are made.

The Palestinians and the Arab people consider Jerusalem an issue which can never be negotiated and demand for the East side of it including the Holy Places to make any kind of Peace agreement with Israel. The reality shows that the Palestinians who are living in East Jerusalem and inhabit it since hundreds of years are a part of the Palestinian culture and community. The question is whether Israel is ready to understand these facts.

Ziad Khalil Abu Zayyad

A Palestinian-Arab living in East Jerusalem, Ziad graduated from College Des Freres in Jerusalem in 2003. Ziad finished his major in International Relations and English Literature from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ziad is a former President of the Watan student movement at the university. He is interested in Middle Eastern political issues and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Founder of the Middle East Post and MEL (Middle East Future Leadership Network), he represents Palestinian youth at several international conferences.

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