Elected Hamas legislators in Jerusalem started a protest against Israel’s order to expel them from Jerusalem, and will likely escalate their protest to a hunger Strike.Engineer Khaled Abu Arafa, former Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, told the Qatar-based al-Jazeera that the protest is enjoying wide public support, and would continue until further notice.
He also stated a letter was handed to the Red Cross in Jerusalem demanding international intervention against the illegal Israeli ruling.
Abu Arafa added that Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, complained to the U.S. Middle East Peace Envoy, George Mitchell, and demanded that the United States intervenes against this decision as it targets elected officials in general and the very existence of the Palestinian people in Jerusalem.
Yet, Abu Arafa said that he does not expect the United States to do anything in this regard due to its strategic relations with Israel and its ongoing support to consecutive Israeli governments.
Furthermore, representatives of national and Islamic factions in Jerusalem, along with legislators Ahmad Attoun, Mohammad Totah, Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine Sheikh Mohammad Hussein, and Jerusalem governor, Adnan al-Husseini, handed the American Consulate in Jerusalem a letter to President Barack Obama demanding him to stop Israel’s acts of ethnic cleansing against the Palestinian people and their elected officials.
Jerusalem Legislators and Abu Arafa decided to protest at the Red Cross building and said that they will remain there until their issue is resolved and the expulsion orders against them are revoked.
