Israel’s forced closure of the Jerusalem Fund and Endowment nonprofit, which provides local Palestinians with social and humanitarian services, has been slammed by the organisation’s chairman due to the impact it will have.
Munib Rashid al-Masry, the chairman of the nonprofit, told The New Arab’s Arabic language sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, that the closure of the office will "negatively impact hundreds of beneficiaries, including university students receiving scholarships, citizens receiving funding to finance small projects as well as the renovation of schools and homes".
Al-Masry further reiterated that all of the organisation’s services will be disrupted at this stage, which will have a "profound impact and harm a large portion of Jerusalemites".
He decried Israel’s far-right and extremist National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s decision to shutter the office as a violation of law and regulations, adding it lacks any justification.
He further said the charity solely focuses on development, relief work, education, and humanitarian efforts and does not play any political role or have political affiliations.
"The real motives behind the occupation’s [Israel’s] decision to close the institution are generally due to the occupation’s policy in the city of Jerusalem – which is based on restricting the presence of civil society organisations and combating everything that contributes to the economic and social empowerment of local Palestinians," he said.
He also explained that there were clear indications of Israel’s move before the decision was taken, noting that around two months ago, Israeli forces raided the nonprofit’s office and confiscated all equipment, papers, and interrogated staff members.
One of the Jerusalem Fund and Endowment's most recent projects was distributing vital aid during the month of Ramadan.
Al-Masry said that the decision to close the office for six months is subject to renewal, following baseless accusations that the foundation is linked to the Palestinian Authority.
"The aim [of Israel] is to dry up resources and the work of institutions supporting Palestinians in Jerusalem, leading to their displacement from their city," the Jerusalem governor’s office said in a statement.
On Tuesday, the office also said: Such blatant attacks would not have continued without the international silence on all the serious violations committed by Israel, the occupying power which violates all international norms and conventions which guarantee civil and humanitarian freedoms".
The office went on to call the international community and organisations to take immediate action to stop the violations and to protect institutions in Jerusalem from being affected by racist measures.
The Palestinian National Council condemned the move to close the office and warned of the dangers of such decisions, saying it contributes to the "ongoing policy of the Judaisation and ethnic cleansing of the Holy City and its steadfast people".
"These racist practices come amid a fierce attack on our people – from the systematic genocide in the Gaza Strip to attempts to crush the identity of Jerusalem".
The Palestinian ministry of foreign affairs said that the decision to shutter the nonprofit adds to the many restrictions local Palestinians in Jerusalem face and will eventually force them to leave the area.
"This is another crime from the occupation, in addition to genocide, displacement, famine, and annexation against the Palestinian people and their homeland".
The latest developments come just a month after Palestinian religious leaders issued an urgent warning regarding intensified Israeli restrictions at the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron (known as al-Khalil in Arabic), describing them as an attempt to seize Islamic holy sites.
The most recent violations include locking internal doors inside the Ibrahimi Mosque, banning religious rituals on key occasions such as Fridays, Eid, and the last ten nights of Ramadan, and sealing off Waqf-administered sections of the site.