RAMALLAH: A general strike has taken place in several East Jerusalem towns after Palestinians took action against the current policies of Israeli authorities.
Youths closed the entrances to Shuafat refugee camp, Al-Isawiya, Anata, and Al-Ram from 3 a.m. on Sunday.
Violent clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli forces took place at around the same time at the entrance to Al-Isawiya, and Jabal Al-Mukaber.
East Jerusalemite activists called on Palestinian workers not to go to their workplaces inside Israel.
Islamic forces in East Jerusalem issued statements rejecting Israeli policy in the region, which includes demolishing homes and displacing residents, arrests, fines, confiscation of money and property, and the seizure of bank accounts.
Ibrahim Inbawi, from the Shuafat camp, told Arab News that the escalation of measures against Palestinians, and the policy that Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir was pursuing in East Jerusalem, were the reasons behind the call for civil disobedience and the strike.
He said: “I believe that Ben-Gvir’s racist policy against the Palestinians of East Jerusalem and his use of the iron fist will lead to more violence and escalation on the Palestinian side.”
About 350,000 Palestinians live in East Jerusalem, many of whom are adversely affected by the wall erected by Israel in 2005. They have been granted ID cards but in Israeli law are residents and not citizens.
Youths burned tires and closed streets in Al-Issawiya, Jabal Al-Mukaber, Shuafat camp, Anata, Al-Ram and Kafr Aqab on Sunday, amid a heavy presence of Israeli police vehicles and border guards.
There were violent confrontations between young Jerusalemites and the Israeli security forces in more than one of the locations.
Mustafa Barghouti, secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative movement, told Arab News that civil disobedience was the mode of popular resistance adopted to repel the attacks carried out by the Israeli occupation.
He said: “The occupation government, led by Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, has left the Palestinians with no choice but popular resistance and civil disobedience to defend themselves and the lives of their children.”
Ben-Gvir said in a tweet on Sunday: “I instructed the police to continue security activity in East Jerusalem. We will show a firm hand and have zero tolerance for violators.”
The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned Ben-Gvir’s policies against Jerusalemites which, it says, are based on imposing more collective punishments and deepening ethnic-cleansing operations.
It added that Ben-Gvir’s actions were an indication of the failure of the occupying state to annex Jerusalem.
