NGOs: The decision to close Burj Luq Luq Tower targets the existence of civil society work in Jerusalem

SadaNews - The network of civil society organizations condemns the decision by the occupying authorities to close the Burj Luq Luq Association in occupied Jerusalem. The network views this decision as an assault on civil and cultural work in the city, and part of a systematic targeting of the Palestinian presence there, especially with the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadan, in a clear attempt to restrict the expression of Palestinian national identity and prevent its manifestation in the public space of Jerusalem.

The Burj Luq Luq Association, a member of the network of civil society organizations, is one of the vital institutions that provides cultural, educational, and social services to children, youth, and women in the Old City of Jerusalem, particularly in the Bab Hutta area, which is one of the targeted areas by the occupying authorities and is most marginalized within the Old City. The presence of the association serves as a fundamental support to enhance the resilience of the local community and provides a safe space for children to engage in their educational, cultural, and sports activities. Its closure would deprive hundreds of children of vital services and exacerbate the social fragility in the area.

This decision is part of a continuing policy targeting Palestinian institutions in Jerusalem, where more than 100 civil institutions have been closed since the city's occupation in 1967. The occupying authorities base their decisions on Defense Regulation No. 119 (Emergency) inherited from the British Mandate or claim that the institution has relations with the Palestinian Authority or its representatives, or even operates under its auspices within the city of Jerusalem to justify measures that include closure, confiscation, and arrests, as well as prohibiting institutions from operating in the city.

Moreover, the targeting of the Burj Luq Luq Association cannot be separated from the settlement ambitions surrounding it, as settlement entities have previously expressed their intention to evict the association to take control of the northeastern corner of the Old City and the city's walls in an attempt to reinforce settlement projects and entrench control over strategic points in Jerusalem.

The network of civil society organizations views this decision as a new link in the policy of isolating Jerusalem from its Palestinian societal fabric within a trajectory aimed at Judaizing the city and enabling the Israeli narrative through the constriction of institutions that promote Palestinian national and cultural identity.

In this context, the network calls on the diplomatic missions operating in Jerusalem, the international community, and international institutions to bear their legal and moral responsibilities, to pressure to stop these policies, reopen the association's headquarters and the rest of the Palestinian civil institutions, and ensure the right of these institutions to operate freely in the city of Jerusalem.