On Sunday, August 30th, Israeli forces invaded the Damascus Gate area leading into the Old City of Jerusalem, and abducted four Palestinians, three of whom were women, according to local sources.
The four have been identified as Ahmed Abu Al-Roumi, his sister Sajeda, Yasmine Qaisiya, and Naomi Al-Dar.
In addition, the local sources said that the Israeli forces beat the Palestinians before abducting them. They were taken by Israeli police to an unknown destination. Usually Palestinians abducted in this way are beaten, interrogated and held without charges for six month sentences known as ‘administrative detention’, during which they are given no access to legal counsel or any indication as to why they are being held.
The Damascus Gate, known in Arabic as Bab Al-Amud, has historically been the main entry for Palestinians into the Old City of Jerusalem. As the Israeli colonial authorities have pushed Palestinians out of the Old City, demolishing their businesses, harassing the marketplace vendors and attacking, beating and shooting Palestinians in the area, it has become less and less used by Palestinians.
Historically, the Damascus Gate has been known as the entry to East Jerusalem, known as more of a Palestinian area than West Jerusalem (although before Israeli occupation, it was all Palestinian). But now, Israeli authorities have encroached further and further into East Jerusalem to colonize neighborhoods and areas that have been Palestinian-owned for thousands of years.
