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Occupation Strategies to Violate the Rights of Palestinians in Jerusalem (October 2023,7 - April 2024, 30)
(Al-Quds University, 2025-01) Editorial Board
Since its inception in Jerusalem, the Israeli occupation has implemented various strategies aimed at asserting dominance over the Palestinian populace. These measures have systematically sought to control every aspect of life, ultimately compelling Palestinians to abandon their homes and paving the way for the influx of settlers. This report examines a range of long-, medium-, and short-term strategies employed by the occupation since 1967, all designed to displace the Palestinian population from Jerusalem. We will highlight the most significant of these strategies, focusing on their developments from October 7, 2023, to April 30, 2024. A brief return to historical context will be provided where necessary. The effects of these strategies are evident in a series of violations aimed at the Judaization of Jerusalem and the Israelization of its Palestinian residents, which can be summarized as follows: First: Field executions and the policy of detaining martyr bodies. Second, Settlement expansion in Jerusalem. Third: Control over the educational system in Jerusalem. Fourth: Violations against holy sites in Jerusalem, specifically Al-Aqsa Mosque. Fifth: taxation policy, violation, and punitive measures. Sixth: The occupation’s policy: Home demolitions and denial of building permits. Finally, a surge in repression.
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The Jerusalemite Researcher and Writer Mahmoud Shuqair
(Al-Quds University, 2025-01) Azeez Al-’Asa
The writer, politician, and thinker Mahmoud Shuqair was born in Jabal al-Mukaber, Jerusalem, in 1941. It was here, in Jabal al-Mukaber, that he grew up, spending his childhood playing football—sometimes with a seven-layered skin ball, other times with a simple strip ball, and occasionally with a proper soccer ball. Shuqair also enjoyed the traditional game of jalul (marbles), where children competed to win each other’s marbles. Another favorite was the game of bulbul, which involved spinning a small wooden top with a metal point. Tied with a hemp string to the child's little finger, the top was thrown into a circle, and the goal was to knock the opponent’s bulbul out of the circle, leaving them among the losers. This paper will provide a comprehensive overview of Shuqair’s life, literary contributions, and cultural impact of his work. We will cover the details of his early life, education, and evolution as a storyteller, highlighting his prolific output across various literary genres, including short stories, novels, children's literature, and biographies. In addition, the paper underscores Shuqair’s deep connection to Jerusalem, evident in his works that capture the city's cultural, historical, and political essence.
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St. Mark’s Monastery in Jerusalem
(Al-Quds University, 2025-01) Qusay Fakhri Abbas
Jerusalem’s Old City stands apart from other cities, marked by its unique character and sacred significance to the three monotheistic religions. It holds a special place in the life of Christ (peace be upon him), where He performed miracles, taught His disciples, and walked among them. The Via Dolorosa, the path Christian pilgrims follow to reach the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, winds through its streets, rooted in Eastern Christian tradition. Christian holy sites are scattered through every alley of this ancient city. Jerusalem is the birthplace of Christianity, and while believers often agree on the key events of Christ’s life, they sometimes differ on the exact locations. This diversity, rather than diminishing the city, has enriched its cultural and architectural heritage, weaving a tapestry of faith and history. The challenge of pinpointing these sacred sites lies in the fact that many were not designated at the time of the events themselves. Yet for those of faith, no argument is necessary to believe in the sanctity of these places. One intriguing aspect of Jerusalem’s Christian sites is how, after the divisions within the Church, various denominations sought to claim specific locations of key events for themselves. These churches, both local and foreign, developed new traditions, each establishing its own sacred spaces, especially during the long period of Ottoman rule over the city and the wider region. This competition for religious authority further deepened Jerusalem’s complex and multifaceted spiritual landscape. The study of the Monastery of St. Mark in Jerusalem compelled the researcher to explore its spiritual, historical, and religious significance within the Syriac Orthodox tradition. This endeavor involved a thorough review of authentic Syriac sources, many of which were not listed on the references page due to their overwhelming number. While these references frequently reiterated information about the monastery, they often did so in varied formulations. To enrich the research, the investigator relied heavily on numerous field trips, which provided firsthand experience of the site and facilitated candid discussions with Syriac friends. All photographs included in the research were captured by the research during these visits. The researcher was struck by the considerable interest shown by both foreign and Syriac scholars, particularly Americans and Europeans, who engaged in specialized studies or completed postgraduate theses focused on the site. The Monastery of St. Mark serves as the seat of the Metropolitan of the Syriac Orthodox Church in the Holy Land and Jordan, overseeing the interests of its parishioners dispersed across three distinct political entities: the Syriacs in Jerusalem, who face the realities of occupation; Bethlehem, governed by the Palestinian National Authority; and Jordan. This diocese, which remained politically unified until 1967, now sees its communities living under markedly different circumstances. Consequently, their aspirations and desires have diverged, even as they maintain communication through social media and meet in person during various religious occasions. The Syriac presence in Jerusalem dates back to the first century AD, though their modern arrival in Palestine coincided with the end of Ottoman rule and the onset of the British Mandate, which set the stage for Zionist colonial settlement. Thus, like the rest of the local populace, the Syriacs endured the trials of the Nakba, experiencing the same hardships that have plagued the city for a century. The research is divided into two sections: the first examines Syriac literature concerning the religious and historical significance of the monastery, striving to depict the site as it appears today. The second section provides a concise overview of the Syriac community, with a particular focus on their presence in Palestine and Jerusalem.
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Jerusalem Citadel: Between Historical Constants and the Zionist Narrative
(Al-Quds University, 2025-01) ’Abla Al-Muhtadi
From the dawn of history, humanity has witnessed countless invasions and wars, driving civilizations to develop methods of defense, fortifying their gathering places, which would later evolve into cities. One of the earliest and most vital forms of defense, particularly for cities coveted by invaders, was the construction of walls, the digging of trenches, and the building of towers and fortresses to monitor enemy movements and safeguard the city.¹ Archaeological discoveries reveal that Jerusalem's Old City stands as one of the oldest fortified Arab cities. It has been unequivocally established that the Jebusites, an ancient people, were the first to establish Jerusalem. They built their city on the Hill of ad-Duhur, located in the southeastern part of Old Jerusalem,² overlooking the village of Silwan. This was confirmed by the discovery of the Jebusite wall, dating back to the third millennium BC.³ Modern historical studies further assert that due to the city’s robust fortifications, it was once known as the Fortress of Zion,⁴ a name that predates the Hebrew presence in the region. Thus, Zion is a name with deep roots in Jerusalem’s history, long before the arrival of the Hebrews. The Jerusalem Citadel stands as a testament to the city's ancient significance, one of its most striking archaeological landmarks. Unlike most cities in the Levant and Palestine, which lacked such structures, towers and fortresses were reserved for central and vital urban centers. The citadel’s importance lies in its strategic position, built on a vulnerable lowland where the southwestern and northwestern hills converge. Rising from the remnants of earlier fortifications, it anchored the city’s wall at its most critical corner, demanding the strongest defenses.⁵
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Roads that Cut Off Jerusalem
(Al-Quds University, 2025-01) Samir Jaber
The construction of roads in Jerusalem serves a dual purpose: to connect Israeli colonial settlements and to isolate Arab Palestinian neighborhoods, transforming them into open enclaves encircled by Israeli thoroughfares. The Israeli roads that traverse these Palestinian communities further marginalize them, linking them to the Israeli road network through narrow openings. To pave these colonial routes, Israeli authorities confiscate Palestinian lands, justifying their actions by claiming that these roads serve the “public interest.” Meanwhile, Palestinians submit petitions to the colonial judicial authority challenging this road policy, which cloaks land confiscation in the guise of public benefit; however, their efforts yield little success. Recently, Israel has overtly embraced racial profiling to delineate which roads are accessible to Palestinians and which are reserved solely for Israelis. The era of explicit apartheid roads commenced with the opening of Route 4370, which allocates one lane for Palestinian use and another exclusively for Israelis. Furthermore, new roads designed specifically for Palestinian access are pending construction. These roads aim to prevent Palestinians from using the routes favored by the colonial settlers surrounding Jerusalem. By constructing these Israeli roads, Israel accentuates its status as a complete apartheid state. The separation of roads relies on racial justifications that resist geopolitical rationalizations, thereby reinforcing the grim reality of settler colonialism that permeates Jerusalem and the broader region of Palestine.