While local and international activists gear up to observe Al Aqsa Week, two Palestinians lost their lives in the latest act of Israeli aggression on the West Bank.
In intensified raids unleashed by Israel’s new far-right government, 17-year-old Mahmoud Mohammad was shot and killed on Tuesday morning. Israeli forces raided the Far’a refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank.
“The death of Mahmoud al-Ayedi (17 years old) from critical injuries he sustained when the occupation forces shot him in the head during their storming of al-Fara’a camp, south of Tubas, at dawn on Tuesday,” read a Tweet from the Palestinian Health Ministry.
On Tuesday, 25-year-old Haroun Abu Aram succumbed to gunshot wounds he sustained in a separate incident on January 1 in Masafer Yatta. Nearly 1 000 residents there face the threat of displacement as Israeli settlers relentlessly encroach on the West Bank.
This as campaigners in Palestine and abroad observe the annual Al Aqsa Week between 13-19 February. The global initiative was launched in 2017 as part of a campaign to create awareness and promote love for Islam’s third-holiest site, located in Jerusalem.
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West Bank raids
Raids and killings of Palesinians are believed to have intensified, especially in the occupied West Bank, since Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government was sworn in late last year.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday told a meeting of the Arab League that Palestinians faced a “lethal assault” in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem. He begged world leaders to put an end to Israel’s actions.
“Israeli intransigence and practices have crossed all red lines,” he said.
The United Nations suggests 2022 was the deadliest year for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since 2005. Some 224 Palestinians were killed in the occupied territories, including 53 children and 17 women.
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Al Aqsa Week
Al Aqsa Week coincides with the annual commemoration of Al Isra, when the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) ascended to Heaven in a nighttime journey. Palestinians are usually anticipated to flock to Masjid Al-Aqsa in droves to commemorate this important event on the Islamic calendar.
Speaking from Masafer Yatta, in the southern region of the West Bank, activist and human rights defender Mohammad Hureini said many would likely be barred from entering the premises on Saturday. But that won’t stop them from participating in the activities usually planned to mark the occasion.
“Masjid-Al-Aqsa is the red line for the Palestinian and when something happens in Masjid-Al-Aqsa, most of the Palestinians do something. Even to stand there and face the occupation.”
This year, Al Aqsa week will be observed around the world under the hashtag #LoveAqsa. Events are held everywhere from Palestine to South Africa, Malaysia to Turkiye, the United Kingdom and beyond.
Julie Allie and Hureini also spoke about the ongoing threat of demolition of the religious site. Watch the full discussion here.
