Israeli Occupation Forces Arrest Palestinians For Defending Graveyard

Israel has announced its new plan to destroy a Muslim cemetery to make way for a new Israeli national park, the Socialist Worker Magazine revealed.

Since the onset of the latest Palestinian intifada, Israel has been ramping up its efforts to crack down on the Palestinians’ rights. It started with the detention of innocent Palestinians and now they are desecrating Palestinian graves and setting Palestinian cemeteries on fires.

Omar Rashadeh, 18, was arrested by Israeli forces at the cemetery on Monday of last week — then banned from attending the site.

He told the media, “Occupation forces assaulted me with heavy beating during my arrest while I was present to protect my grandfather’s grave. “Despite being banned from the cemetery, I come every day. “I will remain here night and day to defend the grave of my grandfather, who died last year and who was compassionate to me for 17 years.”

It is widely believed that the ongoing aggression is a part of the larger Zionist project that seeks to end the Palestinian presence in East Jerusalem. Though under international law, Israel has no rights in Jerusalem, Israel continues to seize parts of the land through settlements. The United Nations (UN) has repeatedly demanded the Israeli withdrawal from lands occupied in 1967, including East Jerusalem.

The United Nations and the European Union have condemned Israeli ill-treatment of Palestinians. However, no real change has happened on the ground. Israel announces every week its plan for constructing new settlements. In other words, increasing the number of Jews, while decreasing the number of Palestinians, is the main priority for Israel.

According to Amnesty International (2019), Israel has committed war crimes, including the illegal detention of Palestinians and the unlawful killing of innocent civilians and children.

Earlier this year, the ICC’s Chief prosecutor stated: “There is a reasonable basis to believe that war crimes were committed in the context of the 2014 hostilities in Gaza” by Israel.

Nonetheless, US Vice President Kamala Harris denounced the ICC’s allegations. Likewise, President Joe Biden, despite his normative rhetoric, said that Israel remains a key ally to Washington.

All in all, we have doubts that the international community will do anything to protect the rights of innocent Palestinians. Hence, activists like Mohamed El-Kurd and his sister Mona El-Kurd have nothing to do but resist.