Palestinian shop owners were forced to close their storefronts in Hebron (Al-Khalil) Tuesday as Israeli politicians called for the annexation of the occupied city during visits by thousands of right-wing Israelis for Passover.
Hebron local and prominent activist Issa Amro told Ma’an that Israeli forces instructed shopkeepers in both the H1 and H2 areas of Hebron to remain closed.
Amro said that by forcing shops to close in H1 — the area of the city under jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority — Israeli authorities were supporting right-wing Israelis aiming to push Palestinian locals from the city.
#Zionist settlers attacked a Palestinian youth in the old city of the occupied #Hebron Alkhalil today afternoon.. pic.twitter.com/ctIqvKHMNp
— Days of Palestine (@DaysofPalestine) April 25, 2016
“They want to make it look [to Israeli settlers] like Palestinians don’t live here,” Amro said.
The closures of shops in H1 is likely to come as a detriment to shop owners’ livelihoods, while road closures typically implemented by Israeli forces during the visits will impede the freedom of movement of Palestinians throughout the Hebron district, Amro added.
The H2 area, under full Israeli military control, continued under lockdown as the Ibrahimi Mosque — known to Jews as the Cave of Patriarchs — was sealed to Palestinian Muslims for the second consecutive day as Israelis visited holy sites in and around the Old City, Amro said.
#Palestinian families in Hebron afraid to leave homes out of fear of Israeli settlers https://t.co/jdWKmVLwPE pic.twitter.com/xySeGG9pOK
— Ma'an News Agency (@MaanNewsAgency) April 26, 2016
An Israeli army spokesperson did not have immediate information on increased security measures or closure in the Hebron area for Passover.
Thousands of Israelis descended on Hebron’s Old City Monday as Israeli politicians held a rally in the center of the flashpoint area, under heavy protection by Israeli security forces.
Israeli media outlets reported that Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Eli Ben-Dahan of the Habayit HaYehudi party called on the Israeli leadership to annex the occupied West Bank in its entirety.
(MAAN)
I am from Vancouver,Canada and I wanted to say that it is the uncivilized Israeli Settlers and the Israeli Army that is the problem not the Palestinian People in Hebron.The Palestinian People there got the support of the majority of people in the world in their fight against Israeli Apartheid.That support will continue until Israeli Apartheid is overthrown.From the River to the Sea Palestine will be Free.