Demographic and religious tensions in Jerusalem

Palestinian officials and scholars have raised alarms regarding demographic and cultural shifts in Jerusalem. Dr. Mervan Abu Asim, President of the Gaza Scholars Union, warned of expansionist policies involving settlement establishment on strategic hills and the occupation of agricultural lands. He described efforts to divide Jerusalem and noted that military checkpoints control access to the Al-Aqsa Mosque area, alleging that extreme embargoes and financial incentives to sell homes are being used to facilitate a demographic shift.

Following these concerns, Fatah Central Committee member Yasir Abbas issued an “urgent political call” to global leaders regarding what he termed “systematic Judaization policies.” Abbas warned that these actions aim to alter the Arab, Islamic, and Christian identity of East Jerusalem. He specifically cited repeated raids on the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as violations of religious sanctity. Additionally, Abbas reported increased tensions in the West Bank, including attacks on Palestinian farmers, the destruction of homes, and the uprooting of olive trees during the harvest season.