At the end of last year, the settlers plundered the property of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate, south of Al-Aqsa
Israel seizes the “land of Al-Hamra” to tighten its grip on the property of the Christians of Jerusalem
Successful Bakrat.
Emirates today
Excavation and dredging works in the usurped "land of red".
Emirates today
“Land of Al-Hamra” is located in a vital area south of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Emirates today
The occupation forces provided protection to seize "Al-Hamra".
Emirates today
Ramzi Khoury: "The settlers' seizure of land belonging to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem is a crime that requires the leaders of the world's churches to take a firm and serious stance to save the Palestinian Christian presence within the borders of the Holy City."
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The Israeli occupation did not like that the honorable city of Jerusalem receives a new Gregorian year, without deepening its deep wounds that extend within its lands and towns, and between its religious sanctities and historical sites. of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, in the Wadi Hilweh neighborhood of Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
This attack is added to the record of escalating Israeli and settlement violations, which target Christians by expelling and displacing them from their land and property, and affecting their sanctities throughout the first two qiblahs, without a real deterrent that halts Israeli aggression against historical religious places without stopping.
On the other hand, Ramzi Khoury, the head of the Palestinian Higher Presidential Committee for Church Affairs, warned of the repercussions of religious extremism by settlers towards Palestinian Christians, especially in Jerusalem, and their increasing attacks on church property under the protection of the occupation police.
Khoury described the settlers' seizure of land belonging to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem as a "heinous crime", which requires the leaders of the world's churches to take a firm and serious stance, to save the Palestinian Christian presence within the borders of the Holy City, which is threatened with expulsion and displacement from their lands and homes.
seizure and assault
Regarding the incident of theft of Christian land, Fakhri Abu Diab, a resident of Silwan and a spokesman for the Committee for the Defense of its Residents, says: “On the morning of December 27, settlers stormed lands adjacent to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, only 300 meters from the western wall of Jerusalem. Follow the Greek Orthodox Monastery, to immediately begin fencing (the land of Al-Hamra), the most prominent property in the town of Silwan, which is the southern side of the Temple Mount.
He notes that "the occupation forces besieged the people of the town of Silwan during the raid, and prevented them from reaching (the land of Al-Hamra), which they seized in the (Ain Silwan) area, and they also assaulted protesters who flocked to provide supplies for the Greek Orthodox land."
A spokesman for the Committee for the Defense of the People of Silwan points out that in mid-January, the stolen Greek Orthodox land witnessed extensive bulldozing again, carried out by the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority and the Elad Settlement Association, and the uprooting of fruit trees planted for more than 70 years. .
The occupation crews also carried out excavation work in the soil of the land and the parking lot adjacent to the land, building a series of cement cubes, and installing an iron electric gate, according to Abu Diab.
Excavation and dredging works
After the storming of the "Land of Al-Hamra", which was carried out in light of the Israeli police providing the necessary security protection for the settlers, the occupation teams began excavations inside the "Land of Al-Hamra", announcing that they would open what they call "Shilukh Pool".
Immediately after the settlement seizure of the Greek Orthodox land, the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Nature and Parks Authority, and the Elad Settlement Association published a joint advertisement, which included an animation of the project to revive the water pool, which will be built on the stolen land.
The announcement stated: “We are about to reveal one of the most important sites in Jerusalem. It will be fully displayed and opened to the general public. In the first phase, visitors will be able to observe archaeological excavations. In the coming months, the pool of Shiloch will be opened to visitors in Israel and the world, as part of A path that ends at the foot of the western wall.
A spokesman for the Committee for the Defense of the People of Silwan states that the Judaization advertisement included false allegations and fabrications, most notably that the “Land of Al-Hamra” was a center of attraction for many excavation missions over 150 years, and then was renewed in 2004 by Israeli archaeologists, coinciding with brown works. Underground construction carried out by the Israeli company “Jihon”, which resulted in the discovery of the northern part of the pond, which the occupation claims dates back to the alleged Temple era, and was established by the Jewish King Hezekiah in the eighth century BC.
On the other hand, the Jerusalemite Patriarchate said on its main website: “An attempt was made to attack (the land of Al-Hamra) in 2008, by the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem. This is the suspected secret forgery deal in 2004, which included the real estate of Bab al-Khalil, one of the most important gates of the walls of the Old City in the Holy City of Jerusalem.
History wasted
The stolen “land of al-Hamra” is located at the foot of Wadi Hilweh, on an area of five dunums, at an important and vital crossroads, leading to Wadi Hilweh and Al-Rababa in the town of Silwan, and adjacent to the Silwan Mosque.
The head of Al-Aqsa Academy for Endowment and Heritage, Sheikh Najeh Bakirat, explains to «Emirates Today», that «(the land of Al-Hamra) is adjacent to (Ain Silwan the Canaanite), which floods the land with water, until it has become the most fertile in the Holy City, along with Ayoub's well and Ain Umm The stairs, the pool of Hamra, and Ain Al-Lawza ».
He points out that the land of the Greek Orthodox was part of the water system of the historical Ain Silwan, and there were two great pools to collect the water of the spring and the Al-Aqsa Mosque, to serve the residents of the Old City of Jerusalem, throughout the ages.
Bakirat says: “Since the first day of the occupation’s seizure of (Ain Silwan), by the Israeli Nature Authority, (Elad settlement) began to gradually expand within the Jerusalemite town, until most of the lands were stolen in the Wadi Hilweh neighborhood of Silwan, and today it seizes historical land without Any right.”
And for what distinguishes the “Land of the Reds”, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate leased it in 1928 to the Samrin family, within an annual renewable farming contract, which includes the right of custody and usufruct as well, according to the head of the Christian National Assembly in the Holy Land, Dimitri Diliani.
The Jerusalem family continued to take care of the Christian land with successive generations, cultivating it with fig trees, citrus fruits, and vegetables, in addition to raising poultry, for more than 70 years, until the moment of its seizure at the end of 2022.
Diliani says: “The occupation targets everything that is not Jewish in Jerusalem and the rest of the Palestinian territories, within the framework of a policy that emanates from the Israeli racist ideology, and the seizure of (the land of Al-Hamra), an attack on Christian history in the Holy City, and targeting historical sanctities in an attempt to obliterate its original identity.” And raise the Jewish flags above it ».
• The stolen "land of al-Hamra" is located at the foot of Wadi Hilweh, on an area of five dunums, at an important and vital crossroads, leading to Wadi Hilweh and Al-Rababa in the town of Silwan, and adjacent to the Silwan Mosque.
• In mid-January, the stolen Greek Orthodox land witnessed extensive bulldozing again, carried out by the Israeli "Nature and Parks Authority" and the Elad Settlement Association, and the uprooting of fruit trees planted for more than 70 years.
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