The city of Jerusalem and its Palestinian institutions are suffering from an extremely difficult and complicated situation as a result of Zionist practices, through which the occupying forces are trying to Judaize the holy city and empty it of its original inhabitants, in favor of Jewish extremists, who are working day and night to change the Arab and Islamic features of Jerusalem, in order to support the Zionist narrative of their right to the holy city. In this article, we try to shed light on some of the practices of the occupation forces against the institutions of Jerusalem, especially the political ones, and we explain to the Arab reader the most important institutions of the different city of Jerusalem, which provide a range of various services to the Palestinian citizen in Jerusalem.

First: closure of Jerusalem institutions:
After the defeat of 1967, and the occupation of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem by the Zionist entity, a new stage of the Judaization of Jerusalem began, as the Zionist entity tried hard to change the city's landmarks from an Arab and Islamic city to a predominantly Jewish city, through many measures and practices aimed at controlling buildings, especially in the Old City, which is witnessing a religious conflict, with the aim of controlling the Al-Aqsa Mosque, where the occupation governments, driven by extreme right-wing parties, worked to change the city's landmarks, by confiscating land and demolishing buildings, and harassing the Palestinian Arab population in order to force them to leave the city. In order to ensure this, the occupation governments exerted great pressure or closed a large number of Palestinian institutions in the holy city.

Since the occupation of Jerusalem in 1967, the Zionist security arms have closed more than a hundred Palestinian charities, most of whose work was focused on the restoration of houses, the maintenance of the Old City, the preservation of real estate, the preparation of maps, the maintenance of land, the provision of human rights services and more. According to the Al-Quds Foundation for development, during the first year of the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000, more than twenty associations working in the field of study, research, Trade, Industry, Tourism, relief, Zakat and caring for the families of prisoners and martyrs were closed and banned on security grounds, including the Jerusalem Secretariat Council, which was closed on June 29, 1967, as the Zionist entity immediately dissolved the Jerusalem Secretariat Council, elected a year ago in 1963, the council managed the daily affairs of the city, planning and projects, and supervised the provision of life services to citizens and the care of the holy sites and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The military order issued by the occupation army also ordered the seizure of Real Estate, Property and the secretariat building and transfer them to the occupation municipal authorities. On March 28, 1967, the secretary-general of the council, Ruhi al-Khatib, was deported to Jordan, and a large number of members of the National Steering Committee and the Supreme Islamic body were arrested and deported. The Jerusalem Chamber of Commerce and industry was closed and then reopened, in addition, the Arab Studies Association was closed in 1988, and the closure lasted until 1991, and then the association returned to be active again until 2001, where it was closed again.

At the height of the events of the Al-Aqsa Intifada, the Zionist entity took advantage of the explosive operations inside the entity and on August 10, 2001, stormed and occupied nine Palestinian buildings in East Jerusalem, the most prominent of which was Orient House (the headquarters of the Palestinian negotiating delegation), where dozens of occupation soldiers stormed Orient House and confiscated documents, disabled computers and blocked the streets surrounding the building. The Zionist occupation forces also reoccupied the governor's building and other offices of the Palestinian Authority in the neighboring village of Abu Dis, which is covered by Palestinian civilian rule under the Oslo Accords, and this seizure and occupation of these buildings represents a direct violation of international laws and agreements signed between the occupation government and the PLO[3].

The Zionist police renews the order to close the "east House" Foundation in the occupied city of Jerusalem every 6 months, and the "East house" is the headquarters of the Palestinian negotiating delegation since the Madrid Peace Conference in 1991, and the headquarters of the late Palestinian leader Faisal al-Husseini before its closure. The occupation police justified its closure at the time as the unofficial headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization in the east of Jerusalem, where the Zionist government is fighting any political presence of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Jerusalem, as Isaac Al-Badiri, director of the Arab Study Association, a Palestinian institution affiliated with the Palestinian Orient House, which was also affected by the closure order, confirmed that the closure of these institutions is a fight against the Palestinian presence in the city of Jerusalem, the occupation government does not want any Palestinian institution providing services to the Palestinian population in the city. Badiri said: "in 2001, many Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem were closed, in addition to Orient House and the Arab Studies Association, the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce was also closed, and many other institutions whose closure is also extended by a decision of the Israeli police once every six months.

These measures against Palestinian institutions are considered contrary to international law, international humanitarian law, and the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, which have repeatedly stressed that Jerusalem is an occupied city, to which all international resolutions prohibiting geographical or demographic changes to the land and population apply, as Security Council resolution 252 (1967), which specifically relates to Jerusalem, stipulates that "all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel, including the confiscation of land and property, that work to change the legal status of Jerusalem, are invalid and cannot change that status". The Security Council resolution on Jerusalem No. 267 (July 1969) reaffirms Security Council Resolution No. 252 and condemns "in the strongest terms all Israeli measures taken to change the status of the city of Jerusalem, and calls on Israel once again and urgently to immediately cancel all measures taken by it that could change the status of the city of Jerusalem".

Second: the reality of Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem at the moment:
Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem are living in a very difficult and complicated situation, because of the security and political measures taken by the occupation authorities against these institutions and those in charge of them, with the aim of ensuring that these institutions do not provide real services that contribute to enhancing the resilience of the Palestinian citizen in Jerusalem, despite all these Zionist practices and procedures, there are hundreds of Palestinian institutions in the holy city that are still standing despite all these Zionist practices and measures, and are trying to provide as many health, social and sports services as they can to the citizens of Jerusalem.

Social institutions in Jerusalem
There are a large number of social institutions in the occupied city of Jerusalem that provide various social and relief services to Palestinian citizens in Jerusalem, the most important of which are:

- Palestinian family planning and Protection Association:
It was established in Jerusalem in 1964, and enjoys full membership in the International Planned Parenthood Federation, the Executive Office of the association is located in Jerusalem, and it has five service centers and two youth centers spread in different parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It provides a range of services, the most important of which are: raising the standard of living of the Palestinian people by providing them with quality sexual and reproductive health services, raising the level of knowledge and developing life skills for all young men and women in the field of sexual and reproductive health and recognizing their rights, providing a sexual culture for women, and a life free from violence and discrimination.

Services provided by the association:

- Awareness meetings for all groups, men and women, and young people of both sexes.

- Coordination and communication with local community institutions and partners.

- Individual and group counseling as needed, both inside and outside the association.

- Referral, in cases of gender-based violence, or referral to the women's clinic at the association.

- Support, support and empowerment of volunteers.

- Assisting university students in implementing the required trainings and involving them in awareness meetings for the youth category.

Through its various activities and its many branches covering all the Palestinian territories, this association contributes to alleviating the problems and crises suffered by Palestinian women in general and Jerusalemite women in particular, due to the difficult economic conditions suffered by the occupied city, as a result of Zionist practices and procedures that hinder the ability of the Palestinian family to meet its economic, social and psychological needs.

- Union of charitable societies of Jerusalem governorate:
The federation was established in Jerusalem in 1958, and is the first Palestinian national, non-profit, independent, charitable and development associations, and seeks to contribute actively to building an effective Palestinian civil society through upgrading the Palestinian civil work in an institutional and democratic manner and subject to the standards of good governance and accountability, to contribute to the process of national construction and sustainable development. The Federation's main objective is to empower its member Palestinian NGOs, develop their resources, and advocate for their rights and issues. It also aims to support Palestinian sectoral development priorities in the areas of social welfare and poverty reduction, health and education, childhood, women and youth empowerment, integration of the disabled and care for the elderly, human development and population planning.

The union is affiliated with more than 120 Palestinian civil associations based in the governorates of Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho and Ramallah, but it is active in all governorates of the homeland within various disciplines and fields of humanitarian and development work. The Union's membership is based on membership conditions with different administrative, financial, programmatic and legal measurement levels, with the Union focusing on social justice and equal opportunities for all without discrimination based on gender, color, religion, political affiliation or intellectual belief.

The headquarters of the association is located in Wadi al-Joz on Al-Yaqoubi Street, and the association provides various services, the most important of which are: health, education, services for children and youth, Direct Relief Services, Vocational Training and rehabilitation, human rights, and women's work. The association seeks to achieve a set of goals, the most important of which are: coordination between charitable institutions working in the same field, achieving social and economic justice by providing opportunities, encouraging women's full and equal participation in all sectors of the development community, recruiting financial resources to implement programs and projects that contribute to the development process in Palestine.

The Union of charities in Jerusalem contributes, whether through its direct services provided to the Palestinian public in Jerusalem, or other services provided to the associations and institutions under its umbrella, to alleviate the burdens that fall on the Palestinian family in Jerusalem, through the educational, health and rehabilitation services system, which helps the Jerusalemite citizen to withstand and stay in Jerusalem, which is witnessing Zionist attempts to displace its population through the policy of restriction and arrests.

Health institutions in Jerusalem
There are 49 health institutions in Jerusalem that provide various health services, both for Palestinian citizens in Jerusalem and in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as Jerusalem is famous for the quality of medical services, the most important of which are:

Red Crescent Society

Closure decisions affected some institutions more than once; the time periods for closing them ranged from hours to days, months or years, and most often they are permanently closed or renewed, respectively, as is the case of Orient House, the Chamber of Commerce, the Supreme Council for tourism, the Palestinian Center for studies, the prisoner's club, and the Office of social and statistical studies, which are renewed by the minister of internal security of the occupation government every six months, the last extension of their closure was on January 31, 2019, and one of the most prominent institutions that have been closed since 1967 until 2019:

Name of the institution

Closing date

Address of the institution

Office of the radio and Television Authority

20/11/2019

Jerusalem

Office of the Directorate of Education

20/11/2019

Jerusalem

The lead mosque

20/11/2019

Jerusalem / the Old City

Arab Health Center

20/11/2019

Jerusalem's Old City

Khalil al-Sakakini school for girls "Al-Qadisiya"

19/1/2019

Quds / Old Town / Saadia lane/Aqaba Al-Qadisiyah

Stork Tower Society

31/8/2019

Jerusalem / Old City

Elijah Youth Media Foundation

18/4/2018

Jerusalem/ Salah al-Din Street

Elite primary school for boys

26/2/2017

Jerusalem/ Getty Images

Office of the Department of maps and geographic information systems

14/3/2017

Jerusalem / Beit Hanina

A building belonging to the Islamic endowments

12/4/2016

Jerusalem / Walnut Valley

Saed foundation for educational consulting

8/8/2016

Jerusalem

Al Rayyan press

20/10/2016

Jerusalem / al-Ram

Jerusalem club

26/11/2016

Jerusalem / al Rashid Street

Center of Health Work Committees

6/5/2015

Jerusalem/Shuafat

The Mount of Olives club

6/2/2014

Jerusalem/ al-Tur

Yebos Cultural Center

27/3/2004

Jerusalem/ Zahra Street

"Al-Nama" foundation for women's services

19/6/2014

Jerusalem / Beit Safafa

Zakat and alms society

19/6/2014

Jerusalem/ Getty Images

Al-Quds Foundation for development

25/6/2014

Jerusalem/ Salah al-Din Street

Al-Quds Foundation for development

7/11/2013

Jerusalem / Beit Hanina

Office of Al-Aqsa architecture and shrines Foundation

7/11/2013

Jerusalem/ Salah al-Din Street

Silwan Charity Association

24/11/2012

Jerusalem / Ras Al-Amoud district

Al-Hakawati heritage and Arts Theatre

26/4/2011

Jerusalem / Abu Obeida Street

Jerusalem Heritage Committee

22/5/2011

Jerusalem / Walnut Valley

Ahmed Sameh al-Khalidi school headquarters

4/9/2011

Jerusalem / revolutionary district

Shuaa feminist association

25/10/2011

Jerusalem / Shuafat neighborhood

Al-Quds Foundation for development

25/10/2011

Jerusalem / Beit Hanina

Help Foundation

25/10/2011

Jerusalem / Kafr Aqab

Work Without Borders

25/10/2011

Jerusalem / Kafr Aqab

Zakat Committee of Baher photos

18/1/2009

Jerusalem / Pahr images / Main Street

Zaid bin Thabet Center

2/2/2009

Jerusalem/ Getty Images

Nidal Center for Community Action

9/7/2009

Jerusalem / Old Town / Al Hasba Street

Al-Ram Zakat Committee

4/2/2008

Jerusalem / al-Ram

Samad Community Education Center

1/5/2008

Jerusalem / Old Town / wad Street

Cultural Forum Association

5/2/2008

Jerusalem / Pahr images / Main Street

Palestinian Housing Council

3/7/2008

Jerusalem / Sheikh Jarrah

And the "Iqra" foundation to sponsor the book and the year

16/12/2008

Jerusalem / Ibn Battuta Street

Cultural Forum Association

15/4/2007

Jerusalem / Pahr images / Main Street

Al-rifadah Association for the care of Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs

15/1/2006

Jerusalem / Ibn Battuta Street

Al-aizariyah Zakat Committee

31/5/2006

Jerusalem/ al-Eizariya

Center for sectoral studies

7/7/2006

Jerusalem / Beit Hanina

Muslim Christian brotherhood Center

2006

Jerusalem/ Misrata

Arab women's Welfare Association

5/4/2004

Jerusalem/ Isfahani Street

Arab Alumni Club

4/4/2004

Jerusalem / Sheikh Jarrah

Emirates Friends Association

2004

Jerusalem/ al-Eizariya

Administration of al-Quds University

10/5/2002

Jerusalem/ Noureddine Street

East house
(The lockdown is renewed every six months)

10/8/2001

Jerusalem / Abu Obeida Al Jarrah Street

Office of national institutions

10/8/2001

Jerusalem/ Noureddine Street

Department of prisoners and detainees

10/8/2001

Jerusalem / masoudiya Street

Department of social services

10/8/2001

Jerusalem / masoudiya Street

Arab Studies Association

10/8/2001

Jerusalem / Abu Obeida Al Jarrah Street

Small Enterprise Development Center

8/2/2002

Jerusalem / Walnut Valley

Supreme Council of Tourism

8/2/2002

Jerusalem / Walnut Valley

Land Research Center

8/2/2002

Jerusalem / Abu Obeida Al Jarrah Street

Federation of Palestinian chambers of Commerce and agro-industry

5/6/2002

Jerusalem / Bab Al-Sahra / Al-Rasheed Street

Al-Quds University office

2001

Jerusalem/ Noureddine Street

Department of maps and Information Systems / Arab Studies Association

10/8/2001

Jerusalem

Land Research Center/ Arab Studies Association

10/8/2001

Jerusalem

Arab Chamber of Commerce and industry

10/8/2001

Jerusalem/ Noureddine Street

The Palestinian Prisoner Club

10/8/2001

Jerusalem / Abu Obeida Al Jarrah Street

Jerusalem Center for planning/ Arab Studies Association

10/8/2001

Jerusalem / masoudiya Street

Department of youth development

1997

Jerusalem

Association of Jerusalem clubs

1997

Jerusalem

Palestinian Housing Council

10/7/1995

Jerusalem / Sheikh Jarrah

Palestinian Department of Statistics

10/7/1995

Jerusalem

Palestinian geographical center

25/8/1995

Jerusalem

Palestinian vocational training institution

25/8/1995

Jerusalem

Department of youth and sports

25/8/1995

Jerusalem

Palestinian Health Center

28/8/1995

Jerusalem

31 private middle and high schools

1988

Jerusalem

Arab Studies Association

31/7/1988

Jerusalem

The complex of Trade Unions of professionals

25/8/1988

Jerusalem / Beit Hanina

Federation of charitable societies

28/8/1988

Jerusalem / wad al-Joz / Al-Yaqoubi Street

Al Ouda magazine - English Arabic

30/9/1988

Jerusalem

The charter newspaper

1986

Abu Obaida Al Jarrah Street

Covenant magazine

1986

Abu Obaida Al Jarrah Street

The trail

1986

Jerusalem

Al Manar Press, Media and Publishing Office

9/9/1985

Jerusalem

Hospice hospital

10/5/1985

Jerusalem / Old City / path of suffering

Blood bank

1985

Jerusalem

Sail magazine

1983

Jerusalem

Jerusalem bureau for translation and press services (al-Ouda magazine)

13/9/1982

Jerusalem

Al-Bashir newspaper

1980

Jerusalem

Tuberculosis Control Center

1979

Jerusalem

Public health directorate offices

1973

Jerusalem / Bab Al-Sahra neighborhood

Department of Social Affairs

16/5/1973

Jerusalem

Spafford children's hospital

1970

Jerusalem

Jerusalem municipality(capital municipality)

29/6/1967

Jerusalem / Old City

Arab courts ( all courts)

1967

Jerusalem

Banks and financial institutions

1967

Jerusalem

Jerusalem Post (became an Israeli police station)

1967

Jerusalem/ Salah al-Din Street

Government hospital

1967

Jerusalem / Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood

 

The Israeli occupation authorities have closed these institutions, disregarding all international laws and resolutions, decaying from the agreements they signed with the Palestine Liberation Organization, ignoring the letter of guarantees sent by Shimon Peres to the late Norwegian Foreign Minister (Holst), according to which Israel pledged not to harm the institutions of the Palestine Liberation Organization in Jerusalem, and to enable it to provide its services to the citizens of Jerusalem.