OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (The Palestinian Information Center) Majed Abu Qatish, a senior official in the Hamas Movement, stated that the escalating Israeli aggression against the villages surrounding Occupied Jerusalem, including the ongoing siege and repeated military raids targeting over 70,000 Palestinians, constitutes a form of collective punishment that violates all international laws and norms.
He also described it as part of the Israeli government’s fascist policies aimed at the complete Judaization of the occupied city.
In a press statement on Wednesday, Abu Qatish warned of the dangerous implications of statements made by Israeli Army Minister Yisrael Katz, who announced his intention to impose harsh punitive measures on residents of these villages. These include revoking work permits and demolishing homes and structures, which Abu Qatish described as revenge tactics aimed at terrorizing civilians.
He held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the consequences of the military blockade, its associated crimes, and the continued policy of home demolitions, stressing that collective punishment will not succeed in breaking the will of the Palestinian people, nor will it weaken the steadfastness of Jerusalemites or force them to abandon their land and rights.
Abu Qatish called upon the Arab and Islamic nations to defend Occupied Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque, and to urgently intervene to halt these arbitrary measures, protect the residents of these villages from demolition, displacement, and military violence, and to guarantee their right to live freely and safely on their own land.
