Targeting the Prescence of Palestinian culture and instituations in Jerusalem
On July 22, three prominent Palestinian cultural figures were arrested by Israeli authorities in occupied Palestine
Suhail Khoury, director of Palestine’s Edward Said National Conservatory of Music (ESNCM), and his wife, Rania Elias, director of Jerusalem’s Yabous Cultural Centre, Daoud al-Ghoul, director of the Jerusalem Arts Network.
The Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem (CCPRJ) is strongly concerned about the escalation of the Israeli government policy against Palestinian civil institutions in Jerusalem and Palestinian activists who are engaged in social and cultural activities.
Israel’s policy of closing Palestinian institutions and banning Palestinian public activities has systematically undermined Palestinian freedom of expression and assembly, and stifled Palestinian political, social, cultural, and economic development in occupied East Jerusalem. It is a policy of persecution carried out against organized Palestinian society that continues to resist the myriad of arbitrary and discriminatory laws, policies, and measures whereby Israel seeks to permanently annex the occupied Palestinian city and transform it into a predominantly Jewish-Israeli town.
Based on the fact that the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people in occupied East Jerusalem is universally recognized, the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem calls upon the international community to protect Palestinian institutions and Palestinian freedom of expression and assembly in occupied East Jerusalem.
The right to freedom of expression and assembly are essential to ensure Palestinian self-determination and development in the city and a sine-qua non for peace.
The Civic Coalition calls upon the international diplomatic community: to take immediate and effective action in order to ensure that Israel will rescind its closure orders against the Maps and GIS Department of the Arab Studies Society, and all other affected Palestinian institutions in occupied East Jerusalem.
Read the full statement of the Civic Coalition for Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem
Read more in Mondoweiss and an article by Rachelle Friesen in the Spring Magazine
Photo Credit: SUHAIL KHOURY AND RANIA ELIAS SOURCE: PALMUSIC UK