The Israeli army operations and settlers’ attacks in the occupied Palestinian territories continued despite the recent snowstorm that caused massive damages to the infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Over 100 Palestinians were injured, and dozens of others were arrested during the daily Israeli harassments, which included the opening of Israeli dams that led to the flooding of Palestinian crops in the Gaza Strip and power outages in Abulajjaj town.
On Friday, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry issued a statement asserting that the continued violations of the Israeli occupation are a blow to the international community and human rights principles.
The statement called on the international community to break its silence over the Israeli violations that deprive the Palestinians of basic human rights. It warned that the silence can be interpreted as “compliance with or in fear of the occupying power.”
The statement considered the Israeli actions an intransigence in practicing the worst forms of racism and hatred, especially as this would be reflected in all aspects of Palestinians lives.
The Foreign Ministry warned that Israeli racist actions are among the long list of daily violations and crimes aimed at stealing Palestinian land, displacing and expelling citizens, and replacing them with settlers.
Israeli occupation forces opened floodgates near the eastern borders of the Gaza Strip for the second day, flooding vast tracts of Palestinian agricultural land.
The water destroyed hundreds of dunums of land east of the Shujayyah neighborhood, while dozens of other cultivated lands were flooded near Beit Hanun in the northern Gaza Strip. The farmers incurred heavy losses as a result of the floods.
The Palestinians said the move was an “act of deliberate sabotage of the Israeli government,” calling on the citizens to submit complaints to the International Criminal Court to prosecute those responsible for the violations.
The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture urged international institutions to help and compensate the farmers for their losses after their lands and crops were damaged.
Meanwhile, about 10,000 Palestinians held Friday prayers in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque, despite the low temperatures and heavy rains, amid strict Israeli measures at the entrances to al-Aqsa and Old Jerusalem.
The Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem said that thousands of worshipers flocked since the early hours to perform Fajr prayer in al-Aqsa Mosque and Friday prayers, following all preventive instructions.
The guards and the volunteers in the courtyards and at the gates distributed sterilizing materials, urging visitors to maintain distance during the prayer.
