Israeli authorities storm, bulldoze land in Jerusalem

RAMALLAH: Israeli occupation authorities Thursday stormed a Palestinian land, near the northeastern corner of the Jerusalem Wall, and began bulldozing it before the court's decision was issued. The occupation bulldozers began to destroy the parking lot built on the land, to prevent Jerusalemites from parking their cars in it, after the occupation court forced them last week to vacate the area, which is owned by Jerusalemite families. For six years, the families of Owais, Hamad, and Atallah of Jerusalem have continued to confront the attempts of the Israeli 'Parks and Antiquities' authorities, supported by the occupation municipality in Jerusalem, to control the 'Khandaq' site in the Old City, which is popularly known as 'Friday Market,' and is adjacent to Yusufiya Cemetery, which was partially seized to establish a "national park", and it is close to the Lions' Gate and Al-Sahira Gate. Hamad Hamad, the representative of the Hamad family, told WAFA that the land belongs to his family and other Jerusalemite families, adding that it was called 'the Friday Market land.' The occupation municipality is trying to control this lot, under the pretext of it being near to the eastern wall of the Old City, through lawsuits filed by owners since 2018. He added that the occupation municipality and the so-called Nature Authority, after failing to prove public ownership of the parking lot, issued an order to seize the parking lot and install the Unknown Soldier monument at the entrance to the Yusufiya Cemetery adjacent to the eastern wall. Hamad added that the targeted parking area was 1,260 square meters and was closed. Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA