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by IMEMC News

A group of Palestinian and international activists, on Sunday, held an Iftar celebration on the inner side of the wall, in Al-Walaja village, south of Jerusalem, as a form of solidarity with the Shananir family living on the other side, whom Israeli authorities have isolated and continue to prevent from coming in and out of the village, save twice through the iron gates in the wall, which separates the lands of the village.

These measures contradict even the decisions of the Israeli courts that had ruled to allow the Shananir family to move to and from their home, in the direction of Al Walaja, one year ago. At the time, the Israeli court ordered the construction of new gates, to provide access for the family into and out of the village.

The Popular Struggle Coordination Committee (PSCC) organized the Iftar on the other side of the wall, alongside activists, Human Rights Defenders, representatives of the Palestinian factions, and villagers, demanding to allow freedom of movement for the Palestinian owners of the lands.

At the time of the Iftar, the Israeli army prevented Omar Shananir and his family from leaving their house to join the group, forcing them to go back inside the house, PNN further reports.

Head of PSCC, Munther Amira, said the military locked down the iron gates in the wall, detaining the family in its own home.

Amira added that the activists tried to enter, for some of the Iftar meals, through the barbed wire and the iron gates, but that Israeli soldiers prevented them from doing so, and prevented Omar and his children from taking these meals before Iftar.

“This heinous crime against the family reflects a model of racist Nazi isolationism by Israel,” Amira said.

“These measures aim to force the family to leave its home and land to facilitate the implementation of the settlement plans,” he added.

It is noteworthy that occupation authorities plan to establish thousands of settlement units where Al Walaja is located, infringing upon the existence of Omar, who proved his ownership of the land and its adherence to it. These are hardships of the thorn of the occupation and its agenda.

The homeowner briefly spoke about the continuous suffering due to the Israeli practice of locking the gates leading to the house, pointing out that the closure of this tunnel represents a new chapter in the suffering of his family.

Shananir, addressing the crowd on the other side of the wall and barbed wire, said that he had recently been subjected to threats, by Israeli authorities, to pursue and abduct by various means, stressing that the presence of activists and human rights defenders represents, for he and his family, a significant moral support.

For his part, Mohammed Abdel Nabi Laham, member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council, said that these measures amount to the level of war crimes committed by racist regimes, most notably the Nazi regime, which placed innocent people and civilians in racial segregation centers, in clear violation of international law, pointing out the importance of initiating practical steps to support the family at the level of basic human rights.

(edited for the IMEMC by c h r i s @ i m e m c . o r g)