GAZA,
September 16 (IslamOnline.net) – Palestinian experts warn against
Israeli plans to drive Palestinian citizens away from occupied Al-Quds
(Jerusalem) under pretexts of development, saying the Jewish state’s
real motive is striking a demographic balance between in the
overwhelmingly Palestinian city.
Al-Quds
Municipality has showed Monday, September 13, new plans for the
structural map of occupied Jerusalem, explaining population density in
the old city which affects the living standard and welfare inside the
city, as per the Municipality.
In
a report published by Israeli daily Ha’aretz Monday, it
suggested decreasing that density as regards “all alleys”, except
for what is known as “Jewish Alley”, claiming the Alley had
already been developed recently and needed no evacuation of some
inhabitants.
The
Municipality further said it was ready to “compensate those willing
to leave their homes with alternative houses outside the Old City.
“Plans
to evacuate the Palestinians living in the Old City lies within the
demographic struggle after large numbers of Palestinians moved into
the Old City as a result of the construction of the self-styled
Israeli separation wall two years ago," Khalil Tafkaji, a
Palestinian expert for settlement affairs told IslamOnline.net
Wednesday, September 15.
Tafkaji
said the return of some Palestinians to their homes the Old City would
lead the Palestinians to outnumber the Israeli settlers living in the
city.
“The
return of Palestinians and restoring their old homes after they were
forced to leave them in 1967 means that the number of Palestinians in
the city would increase.”
The
Palestinian expert mocked at the Israeli proposals to offer financial
compensations and new houses for the Palestinians who leave the city.
“There
are no available lands for construction out of the Old City as a
result of the Israeli confiscation of 35% of Al-Quds lands since the
1967 war.”
Tafkaji
said the Israeli governments had been adopting a constant policy to
evacuate the Palestinian citizens from occupied Al-Quds since 1973.
“Struggle
in the Old City is raging on even very small batches of lands as the
case with Al-Aqsa mosque.”
According
to Israeli estimates, there are 24,098 Muslims living in the Old City,
contrary to 2,408 Armenian Christians, 5,269 Christians in the
Christian Alley and 2,328 Jews in the Jews Alley.
Golden
Opportunity
Dr.
Ekrema Sabri, the mufti of Al-Quds, for his part, warned the Israeli
schemes only aim at grabbing lands of Palestinian citizens in the
occupied Al-Quds.
“As
the Jews immigrate into the city, Palestinians are forced out of the
city, with the aim of affecting the demographic balance in favor of
the Israelis.”
Sabri
said the current developments on the world arena provide the Jewish
state with a golden opportunity to carry out its plans.
“Israel
believes that world developments give it a chance to implement its
aggressive schemes.”
Sabri
maintained the Palestinians living in the city fight the Israeli
temptations to leave their homes, calling on the Palestinian Authority
to support the civil and humanitarian institutions in the city.
“If
these institutions are supported, they can provide the Palestinian
citizens with all necessary services, and therefore they can stick to
their homes.”
Al-Aqsa
institution for Islamic sites preservation in the occupied Palestinian
lands, meanwhile, called on the Palestinian citizens to support their
peers in Al-Quds.
“This
scheme clearly reveals the Israeli attempts to control Al-Aqsa mosque
and enhancing Jewish immigration into the city,” it said in a
statement, a copy of which was obtained by IslamOnline.net.
