Palestinian researchers from different local universities and representatives of the Civic Society Associations attended a conference organized by An-Najah National University. The conference focused on the danger of settlements surrounding the city of Jerusalem isolating it from people living in West Bank towns and village as well as the problems associated with the construction of the apartheid segregation wall itself.
Speakers explained in their presentations the increasing effort required to protect the heritage of the city and to look for ways to support its associations that are working in the fields of medicine, education, and social development.
A plea was sent to the Arab and Muslim leaders to work together to bring an end to the Israeli occupation of the city. Some papers were presented about the confiscation of lands since the war of 1948, the Great Jerusalem Project, the population of Jerusalem during the British Mandate, geopolitical studies on the impact of the settlements on tourism, citizenship in Jerusalem, the impact of settlements on the employment market and the apartheid wall in reference to international law.
At the end of the conference, researchers and participants recommended the following:
- Conducting more research on the above mentioned issues.
- Releasing books on the issue of Jerusalem.
- Contacting Arabic and Islamic associations in order to organize more conferences on the issue of Jerusalem.
- Dedicating budget housing projects in Jerusalem.
- Resisting the settlements activities.
It is worth mentioning that the western part of Jerusalem was occupied in 1967 upon which the international community released the United Nations Resolutions 242 and 238, demanding Israeli withdrawal from the occupied territories including Eastern Jerusalem. Under international law, Israeli settlements in Jerusalem are considered illegal and should be dismantled, Israel considers Jerusalem to be entirely theirs and wishes to deny Palestinians their own national capital.