Following the murderous attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, Israel launched a protracted war in Gaza, at the cost of extensive harm to the civilian population, a humanitarian disaster, and the massive destruction of infrastructure. The organizations partnering in writing this report – Ir Amim, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), HaMoked: Center for the Defence of the Individual (HaMoked), and Emek Shaveh – call for the immediate return of the hostages and an end to the war, as well as for the protection of citizens, residents, and their living environments, wherever they are.
The war also had immediate and severe ramifications in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Along with the discrimination and violation of rights suffered by residents of the West Bank and East Jerusalem on a regular basis, since the outbreak of the war, additional violations of their rights have occurred and are occurring, and their already difficult living conditions have worsened even further.
This report will focus on the various ways in which the war has affected East Jerusalem and its residents including but not limited to:
Lack of Shelter: The absence of safe rooms, shelters in buildings and public shelters, leaving residents vulnerable to missile strikes.
Movement Restrictions and Blockages: Closing checkpoints near Jerusalem to residents of neighborhoods beyond the Separation Barrier, preventing Palestinians with family unification permits from entering Jerusalem through the Shuafat checkpoint, and severe collective restrictions on entry to the Al Aqsa Compound / Al-Haram a-Sharif.
Over-policing and Police Violence: Police brutality often used without cause and unnecessarily, against people who have not disturbed the peace.
Planning and Building: Promoting settlements, demolitions of homes built without permits and activity in the area of antiquities and heritage sites in East Jerusalem, with the aim of increasing the Jewish presence in East Jerusalem and pushing Palestinian residents out.
Employment and food security: A rise of hundreds of percent in unemployment, resulting in a significant decrease in food security.