On July 26th, 2017, ACRI attorney Nisreen Alyan turned to the Jerusalem Police, demanding that the selective policy regarding Palestinian residents’ access of to the Old City be stopped and that freedom of movement and worship be respected.
Following the terror attack on Friday July 14, 2017, the Jerusalem Police placed limitations on the entry of Palestinians to the Old City, blocked Sultan Suleiman Street – a main artery of East Jerusalem, and demanded that shop owners in the Muslim Quarter and Suleiman Street close their shops.
Moreover, testimonies collected days after the attack indicate that Police stationed at the entrances to the Old City denied entry to Palestinian men below the age of 50, except for those who presented an identity card with an address inside the Old City. However, the Police allowed free access into the Old City to both tourists and Jewish Israelis.
This is not the first time that the Jerusalem Police has taken harsh measures against the Palestinian residents, merchants and worshipers in East Jerusalem, but this time the measures have intensified.
The decision to deny Palestinians entry to the Old City is a violation of the freedom of movement and freedom to worship, and constitutes discrimination on the basis of nationality, which fundamentally undermines the right to dignity.
To read ACRI’s letter in Hebrew, click here
