Al-Natsheh: Jerusalem Must Remain the Center of Conflict and the Core of Political Decision-Making in the Next Phase

SadaNews - Major General Bilal Al-Natsheh, Secretary-General of the National Conference for Jerusalem, stated that the holy city faces a systematic project aimed at Judaizing it, targeting the human, the place, and the identity, which necessitates a strategic vision based on: strengthening the resilience of Jerusalemites materially, politically, and legally, safeguarding the Arab and Islamic identity of the city, and solidifying the Palestinian demographic presence in the face of uprooting policies, internationalizing the issue of Jerusalem, and elevating it to international forums more effectively, confirming that the current phase "witnesses an unprecedented uprooting of Jerusalemites from their city," making resilience a supreme national priority.

Regarding the role of the "Fatah" movement and the eighth conference in enhancing the resilience of Jerusalemites, Al-Natsheh emphasized in his press statements that the Fatah movement represents the backbone of the Palestinian national project, and that the eighth conference serves as a pivotal station and an opportunity to renew the movement politically and organizationally, rebuild trust with the Palestinian street, bring in young leaderships while retaining historical experience, conduct a comprehensive review of the organizational experience, enhance internal unity, end the division, and formulate a clear political vision to confront the occupation, asserting that the success of the conference will send a message that the movement "is able to renew itself and continue its historical role," especially in protecting Jerusalem and its people while facing the dangers of Judaization and the Israeli policies towards land and people simultaneously.

Concerning the relationship with Jerusalem, Al-Natsheh stated in his remarks that the holy city must remain the center of conflict and the core of political decision-making, and that any revival of the movement must start from supporting the resilience of the city and confronting demographic changes and demolition and settlement policies, describing the demographic situation as the most dangerous due to the expansion of settlements, the construction of thousands of housing units, the demolition of homes, forced displacement, and the seizure of properties within the old city, pointing out that the occupation seeks to change the demographic composition in favor of settlers and impose a new demographic reality that prevents any future political solution.
 
Regarding education, curricula, and the closure of schools in Jerusalem, Al-Natsheh believes that education in Jerusalem is a primary battleground through targeting Palestinian curricula, attempting to impose alternative curricula, pressuring Palestinian schools, closing some, and linking funding to acceptance of the Israeli narrative, asserting that preserving the national curricula is a protection for Palestinian identity, and that education represents the first line of defense in the face of Judaization.
 
On the economic and commercial situation in Jerusalem, Al-Natsheh pointed out that the Jerusalem economy suffers from exorbitant taxes, arbitrary Israeli measures, the closure or restrictions on commercial institutions, and weakened investment due to the restrictions imposed by the occupying authorities, explaining that the future vision includes, in his opinion, supporting small and medium enterprises, enhancing the local resistant economy, and linking the Jerusalem economy with the Palestinian and Arab depths.
 
Regarding the ongoing settler aggression against Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of the occupying forces, the Secretary-General of the National Conference for Jerusalem stated that there are attempts to impose a new religious reality in the mosque through temporal and spatial division, warning against dragging Palestinians into unequal confrontations and exploiting incursions to change the existing situation in the Noble Sanctuary, which is under Hashemite guardianship.

Concerning the tourism situation, Al-Natsheh sees that the occupation seeks to reshape the tourism narrative for Jerusalem, while marginalizing the Arab and Islamic character in the tourism paths, calling for confrontation through enhancing external tourism from inside Palestinians towards the old city and the city of Jerusalem and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and protecting historical landmarks from Judaization and supporting the Palestinian narrative globally.

Al-Natsheh believes that the advancement of Jerusalem requires popular resilience, national unity, renewing the Fatah movement, activating its leadership and historical role in the city, and providing economic support to merchants and Palestinian educational institutions capable of confronting the dangers of curricula Judaization and facing Judaization politically and internationally.

He affirmed that the upcoming phase requires: unified national leadership, a clear political project, and restoring the status of Jerusalem as the primary axis of conflict with the occupation.