10 minutes are needed by the Palestinian Hashim Tayeh from the town of Beit Hanina, north of Jerusalem, on foot to reach the Al-Aqsa Mosque or to visit the home of his parents and brothers within the borders of the same area, but the expansion of the apartheid wall around the town and the expansion of settlements at the expense of citizens' lands That distance is up to two hours or more, and in many times it is difficult and almost impossible.
The gates built along the wall on the town's land, and the checkpoints and military crossings at the entrances to Beit Hanina, impede the movement of citizens and impose various conditions for their passage. They are subjected to long hours of waiting and humiliating searches as they move from and into their area of residence.
Israel has divided the town of Beit Hanina, which is located north of Jerusalem and the largest of its towns in terms of area, by separation wall, bypass roads and settlements into two separate towns, Beit Hanina old and belonging to the West Bank and the new Beit Hanina, , Following the borders of the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem.
The population of Beit Hanina is more than 27,000, of which 26,762 are in the new town inside the wall in Jerusalem and 1072 in the West Bank behind the border.
Close distance away!
Hashim Tayeh, one of the mukhtars and dignitaries of the town of Beit Hanina, told Al-Arab Al-Youm. "Beit Hanina, because of the separation wall and the settlements, has been divided into two nearby sections at a time. The distance is very close between the part of the fence, Jerusalem, but the movement between them is very difficult, and more than ever before ».
"He wants to reach his relatives in the old Beit Hanina, which is behind the wall and the West Bank. He has to go north to the Kalandia crossing, and to the west, until he reaches the road leading to Bir Nabala and back south, and finally to Beit Hanina. A long and difficult journey requires many hours of waiting at Israeli checkpoints and checkpoints. "
According to Tayeh, the old residents of Beit Hanina, if they wanted to visit their original home in Jerusalem, were on the same path and were suffering the same hardships, but they faced a big problem. Israeli forces did not allow them to enter without permission and permission, Which were withdrawn after being isolated behind the wall.
He pointed out that the access to Al-Aqsa Mosque for prayers and shopping in the markets of the old town took only a few minutes, but the people are now forced to pass through the crossings, on a journey often takes more than two hours.
Beit Hanina Mayor Nidal Abu Hamdeh explained that the wall divided Beit Hanina and took it from three directions: the nearby and leading to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the other Jerusalem towns, and the second part of the town itself, leaving only one outlet leading to the town of Bir Nabala Which is also far from those areas.
"If the movement of the neighborhoods of Beit Hanina destroys Israel, imposing restrictions on them and encircling them with massive concrete walls and settlements, the same situation applies to the dead who do not pose a threat to their candelabra." When the residents want to bury the body of one of the residents, With prior permission, and through the checkpoints and gates, as well as the long wait at the Qalandia crossing, so that the deceased's family get permission to bury him in the graves of Beit Hanina dispersed.
The suffering of the Palestinians in Beit Hanina is not confined to the apartheid wall. Most of their land was expropriated for the purpose of establishing the cement octopus, and large parts of it were annexed to the settlement expansion. Four settlements are built on their land in equal terms with neighboring villages, the largest of which is the Pisgat Zeev settlement, On the land of Khirbet, which is the last remaining neighborhoods that have been completely confiscated, and all its historical monuments.
The Israeli occupation authorities in Jerusalem last September approved the construction of 75 Israeli settlement units in the Palestinian town of Beit Hanina, east of Jerusalem. In addition, In a precedent, the first of its kind, according to the website of the seventh Israeli channel.
"The town of Beit Hanina, before the isolation and confiscation, was beautiful and rich in all the natural features, and the population of Jerusalem and the West Bank is full of people, but the wall has divided it into three quarters of it and an isolated quarter outside it," says Nidal Abu Hamdeh. Was followed by the Palestinians, leaving only 3000 acres of its original area of 36 thousand acres ».
He notes that the new plan for the construction of 75 new settlement units will be built around an area of 11 dunums, with eight buildings, each building rising from seven to 12 floors.
- The population of the town of Beit Hanina is more than 27,000, including 26,762 in the new town inside the wall in Jerusalem, and 1072 in the West Bank behind the border of the wall.
- Access to Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform prayers
Shopping in the markets of the old town was not
It only takes a few minutes, but parents
They are forced to pass through the crossings on a journey
It takes more than two hours.