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Palestinians put together for Ramadan in sombre temper
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Israel tightens safety in Jerusalem Previous Metropolis
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Police crack down on ‘distorted data’ on social media, arrest 20
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No decorations in Previous Metropolis in respect for the useless, group chief says
By Sinan Abu Mayzar and Bassam Masoud
JERUSALEM/RAFAH, Gaza, March 10 (Reuters) – Palestinians ready for Ramadan in sombre temper with heightened safety measures by Israeli police and the spectre of battle and starvation in Gaza overshadowing the usually festive Muslim holy month as talks to safe a ceasefire stalled.
1000’s of police have been deployed across the slender streets of the Previous Metropolis in Jerusalem, the place tens of hundreds of worshippers are anticipated day by day on the Al Aqsa mosque compound, one of many holiest websites in Islam.
The world, thought-about probably the most sacred place by Jews who comprehend it as Temple Mount, has been a longstanding flashpoint for bother and was one of many beginning factors of the final battle in 2021 between Israel and Hamas, the Islamist motion that controls Gaza.
That 10-day battle has been dwarfed by the present battle, which is now in its sixth month. It started on Oct. 7 when hundreds of Hamas fighters stormed into Israel, killing some 1,200 individuals, by Israeli tallies.
Israel’s relentless marketing campaign in Gaza has drawn growing alarm the world over because the rising danger of famine threatens so as to add to a demise toll that has already handed 31,000.
After some confusion final month when hard-right Safety Minister Itamar Ben Gvir stated he wished restrictions on worshippers at Al Aqsa, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated the numbers admitted could be just like final 12 months.
“That is our mosque and we should care for it,” stated Azzam Al-Khatib, director common of the Jerusalem Waqf, the non secular basis that oversees Al Aqsa. “We should shield the presence of Muslims at this mosque, who ought to be capable to enter in huge numbers peacefully and safely.”
Relying on lunar observations, Ramadan will start on Monday or Tuesday of this week.
However in distinction to earlier years, the same old decorations across the Previous Metropolis haven’t been put up and there was the same sombre tone in cities throughout the occupied West Financial institution, the place round 400 Palestinians have been killed in clashes with safety forces, or Jewish settlers for the reason that begin of the battle.
“We determined this 12 months that the Previous Metropolis of Jerusalem will not be embellished out of respect for the blood of our kids and the elders and the martyrs,” stated Ammar Sider, a group chief within the Previous Metropolis.
Police stated they had been working to make sure a peaceable Ramadan and had taken additional measures to crack down on what they described as provocative and distorted data on social media networks and had arrested 20 individuals suspected of incitement to terrorism.
“The Israel Police will proceed to behave and permit for the observance of Ramadan prayers safely on the Temple Mount, whereas sustaining safety and security within the space,” police stated in a press release.
For the remainder of the Muslim world, Israel’s policing of Al Aqsa has lengthy been among the many most bitterly resented points and final month, Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh known as on Palestinians to march to the mosque firstly of Ramadan.
Final 12 months, clashes that erupted when police entered the mosque compound, drew condemnation from the Arab League in addition to Saudi Arabia, with which Israel had been looking for to normalise diplomatic ties, extending its push to construct ties with regional powers together with the United Arab Emirates.
CEASEFIRE HOPES
Hopes for a ceasefire, which might have allowed Ramadan to go peacefully and enabled the return of a minimum of a number of the 134 Israeli hostages held in Gaza seem to have been dissatisfied, with talks in Cairo apparently stalled.
Within the ruins of Gaza itself, the place half the two.3 million inhabitants is squeezed into the southern metropolis of Rafah, many residing underneath plastic tents and going through a extreme scarcity of meals, the temper was correspondingly sombre.
“We made no preparations to welcome Ramadan as a result of now we have been fasting for 5 months now,” stated Maha, a mom of 5, who would usually have crammed her house with decorations and stocked her fridge with provides for the night Iftar celebrations when individuals break their quick.
“There isn’t a meals, we solely have some canned meals and rice, many of the meals objects are being bought for imaginary excessive costs,” she stated by way of chat app from Rafah, the place she is sheltering along with her household.
Within the West Financial institution, which has seen report violence for greater than two years and an extra surge for the reason that battle in Gaza, the stakes are additionally excessive, with unstable cities like Jenin, Tulkarm or Nablus braced for additional clashes.
In Israel, fears of automotive ramming or stabbing assaults by Palestinians, have additionally led to heightened safety preparations.
For a lot of of these ready, there’s little different however to hope for peace.
“Ramadan is a blessed month regardless of the actual fact this 12 months will not be like yearly, however we’re steadfast and affected person, and we are going to welcome the month of Ramadan as normal, with decorations, songs, with prayers, fasting,” stated Nehad El-Jed, who was displaced along with her household in Gaza.
“Subsequent Ramadan, we want for Gaza to come back again, hopefully all of the destruction and the siege in Gaza will change, and all will come again in a greater situation.” (Writing by James Mackenzie; further reporting by Nidal Al-Mughrabi in Cairo, Ammar Awad in Jerusalem, Yosri Aljamal in Hebron, Mohammed Salem in Gaza, Ali Sawafta in Ramallah; Enhancing by Sharon Singleton)
