Jerusalem: Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, stated today that Jerusalem is experiencing a tragic reality, characterized by a systematic colonial strategy aimed at eradicating the Palestinian presence in the city. Speaking at the meeting of the Arab Ministerial Committee tasked with confronting illegal Israeli policies and actions in occupied Jerusalem, Shahin emphasized that the occupation is actively attempting to change the historical, religious, demographic, and legal character of the city, imposing a new reality in violation of international law.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Shahin noted that over 39,000 Israeli colonists have stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under the protection of occupation forces since the start of the year. These incursions have involved public Talmudic rituals, the raising of Israeli flags, disruption of the call to prayer, and restrictions on worshippers during Ramadan. Attempts to introduce animal sacrifices were also recorded, violating the sanctity and religious significance of the site.
Shahin reported that the occupation authorities have conducted over 186 demolitions and land-leveling operations. In numerous instances, Palestinian residents were forced to demolish their own homes to avoid heavy fines and detention risks. She highlighted Israel's policy of ethnic cleansing targeting neighborhoods like Silwan, Issawiya, Sheikh Jarrah, and Beit Hanina, aiming to displace residents and replace them with colonists, in violation of international humanitarian law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
On settlement expansion, Shahin highlighted the approval of large-scale colonial plans, including thousands of settlement units, apartheid road networks, and so-called Talmudic gardens, aimed at seizing land and fragmenting Palestinian territorial continuity. She also noted that schools and universities have been raided and closed, with curricula, libraries, and national institutions like the Jerusalem Fund being targeted, aiming to erase Jerusalemites' identity and deny their children's future.
Shahin affirmed that expulsion orders are used as political repression tools, targeting national and religious figures, including the Minister for Jerusalem Affairs, to silence voices defending Palestinian rights. She warned that international silence and the absence of accountability have emboldened the occupation to continue its crimes.
She urged the committee members to activate international mechanisms to halt these violations, protect the holy city, pressure Israel to comply with international resolutions, and support Jerusalem's residents materially and morally. The minister stressed that the situation in Jerusalem is part of a broader colonial scheme targeting all Palestinian land, coinciding with the genocide in Gaza, settlement expansion, and a siege dismantling the Palestinian presence.
Shahin expressed appreciation to Jordan for its role in safeguarding holy sites in Jerusalem and thanked member states for their support of the Palestinian cause.