The occupation escalates its siege on Jerusalem

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (PIC) -- The occupation authorities have imposed strict military measures since Sunday morning, around the city of Jerusalem Amid a state of tension that prevails the city, thousands of settlers intend to stage a march in the city in the afternoon, at the invitation of the right-wing Likud party to celebrate the so-called "unification of Jerusalem", which coincides with the anniversary of the conquest of East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Days War and the annexation of the holy city. A large numbers of Israeli soldiers and policemen are seen deployed throughout the holy city, blocked its entrances, set up checkpoints to search the Jerusalemites and check their identities and forced shopkeepers to close their stores, claiming to prevent confrontations between Jerusalemites and settlers. The occupation authorities closed Silwan Town, south of Al-Aqsa mosque, to ensure safe mobility for buses transferring settlers from several settlements to the Mughrabi Gate then to the Buraq Wall courtyard to launch provocative marches, in a serious attempt to break into Al-Aqsa Mosque's courtyards to practice their rituals and rites. 2 settlers' marches The settlers' march will start from the west of the city and split into two: the first march will break through the city from the Damascus Gate while the second will march in the main streets bordering the walls of Jerusalem. This march, usually, witness Jews settlers' attacks against Jerusalemites and their properties, and are accompanied with the "dance of flags", as well as direct threats to the mosque through racist slogans and attempts to break into it. It is scheduled that the Zionist Council of Ministers will held, on this occasion, a special session to approve on a series of measures aiming at Judaizing the city. Ceremonies at the arrival of Peres On the anniversary of the occupation of Jerusalem, central ceremonies will be held at the Ammunition Hill this evening in the presence of the Zionist President Shimon Peres, the Zionist PM Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior leaders in the occupation's government. Many Zionist officials including members of the Knesset, and Parties' leaders asserted their participation in the Judaization marches in Jerusalem. Meanwhile large numbers of Palestinians from all over the occupied city of Jerusalem and Palestinians from territories occupied in 1948 travelled towards Al-Aqsa Mosque to confront the settlers' provocations, and to prevent any attempt to break into Al-Aqsa Mosque. Religious, Islamic and Jerusalemite figures urged all Palestinians who have access to the holy city to be present in the morning at the Aqsa Mosque to thwart any Israeli attempt to violate its sanctities. For his part, head of the higher council of Islamic courts in Palestine Sheikh Yousuf Adeis called on the Palestinian people to beware of the Jewish schemes against the Aqsa Mosque and to be present all day and night inside it to protect it from Zionist violations Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Hussein also called the citizens to be intensively present in Al Aqsa Mosque today. Furthermore, many Palestinian factions issued statements in which they warned of Jewish provocations and called to confront their march.