Al-Aqsa Association inside the Palestinian .. a haven for the poor of Jerusalem and the joy of its children

Aseel Jundi - occupied Jerusalem

The Al-Aqsa Association affiliated with the Southern Islamic Movement in the occupied interior has not been able to implement its usual Ramadan projects in Jerusalem this year, and the most prominent of these projects are "Iftar Al-Saem" and "Al-Aqsa Convoys", so I resorted to creating alternatives after its decision not to abandon Jerusalem and the Jerusalemites who have been working for them since twenty Years old.

The association called its special projects for Ramadan this year under the Corona pandemic "Caravans of Good", and several projects branch from it, the latest of which was the "convoy of happiness" that was launched recently in the town of Silwan and roamed its alleys, and distributed gifts to children in partnership with the "Shababak" group for clowning.

Project Manager at Al-Aqsa Association, Muhammad Nofal, briefed Al Jazeera Net on the details of this tour and the rest of the association’s projects for the holy month. He said that the association has run 1,200 buses for Al-Aqsa last Ramadan, and because it was unable to run any bus this year and transport the people of the interior to Al-Aqsa, due to the outbreak of the Corona virus. And to close the Al-Aqsa Mosque, I thought about coming to the Jerusalem towns and refreshing it through a truck decorated with Ramadan decorations to get the Jerusalemites out of the negative atmosphere charged by the domestic quarantine.

He added, "The occupied interior donors to run buses during Ramadan rushed to serve Jerusalem despite the pandemic and asked to donate to alternative projects, so they poured their donations into the convoy of happiness and in preparing 1000 food baskets arranged in the town of Kafr Qasim and transported for distribution at the beginning of the holy month to the poor of Jerusalem."

The convoy of happiness
and the reason for choosing the town of Silwan to launch the "Convoy of Happiness." Nawfal said that this town is the southern garrison of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and its sensitive location is being hatched against the conspiracies daily, and settlement penetrates every year, in addition to that its children suffer from arrest and abuse continuously, and many appeared From infections with corona virus.

Nawfal discussed the great interaction of the children of Silwan and their parents with this initiative, and their deep joy with the gift that contained a drawing book, colors, game and a story about Al-Aqsa.

This convoy passes through the town of Silwan to refresh its residents, while the occupation municipality in Jerusalem follows the policy of soft penetration headed by Moshe Lyon, and it was not surprising that the Israeli police impeded the "convoy of happiness" and searched the truck accurately, and was keen to follow the path of the convoy that spread happiness among the children of Silwan Over four hours.

The Jerusalem festivals, Dawood Totah and Izzat Al-Natsheh, founded the Shabab clown club, accompanied the "Convoy of Happiness" in the town. On the experience of returning to field work while maintaining distance and safe distances, Totah said, "We started with a virtual tour of shows due to the outbreak of the virus after a two-month hiatus from face-to-face performances in theaters, festivals and schools ... A feeling of meeting the public after a wonderful break and children missed us too and we tried all the time to urge them to Stay away for the safety of everyone. "

Totah and his partner were dazzled by the large number of Jerusalemites who came out of their rooftops and windows to interact with them, and in all the stations where the convoy stopped, the festival was keen to represent quick scenes about ways to prevent the virus and the importance of adherence to hygiene and home quarantine.

Alternatives
not only for Jerusalem , but the association decided to replace the "Iftar Al-Saem" project, in which 50,000 meals were distributed in Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque, by distributing breakfast to hidden families in the neighborhoods of Jerusalem, especially in the Old City, Silwan, and Sheikh Jarrah.

Ramadan Iftar, which is organized every year for 300 orphans from Jerusalem and their families, and includes the distribution of clothing for the Eid and the introduction of joy into their hearts with competitions and games, the Al-Aqsa Association decided not to cancel it this year, according to Nofal.

Breakfast with the Eid voucher is supposed to be distributed to all these children in their homes, and to organize entertainment events via live broadcast on the association's Facebook page so that the orphans will not feel the pain of the absence of this annual event, which they are accustomed to five years ago.