During the visit Dr. Al-Zahhar explained the suffering of the Palestinian people and the Zionist pressures to which they are exposed.
Dr. Al- Zahhar stated:” The unjust siege imposed on Gaza Strip has reached such proportions that several UN reports have affirmed that the Strip is no longer fit for human habitation in 2020 because of the catastrophic effects of the siege in the various economic, health, educational and environmental fields. This is in addition to the rise of the rate of unemployment to 54%, increase in poverty, electricity blackout, pollution of drinking water and shortage in medicines and medical necessities.
He recalled the most outstanding crimes committed recently by the occupation authorities against the Palestinians in the besieged Gaza during the peaceful Return Marches which began on 30 March, 2018. The number of Martyrs until now has reached 223, the most recent of them were 3, yesterday, among them 43 children, 5 women, 3 from the medical staff and 2 journalists. The number of wounded has reached 24500, including 2010 women, 4072 children, 455 rescue workers and 180 journalists. Among the wounded, 94 had their limbs amputated.
In case of the valiant detainees, there are still 6200 detainees in Zionist jails, including 57 women, 350 children, and 1500 ill detainees, 25 of them have cancer. There are also 600 administrative detainees without any charges, in addition to the abduction of 8 members of the Legislative Council.
Al-Quds, and Al-Aqsa Mosque in its heat, is facing today the most vicious crimes known to history. The Zionist enemy is launching an unprecedented attack on the city in terms of a judization project and settlement expansion which is encircling Al-Quds in order to separate it from its Palestinian milieu, and detach the north of the West Bank from its South. Tunnels are being dug beneath Al-Aqsa Mosque in order to demolish it and establish their alleged temple on the wreckage of Al-Aqsa Mosque. The enemy attack also involves demolition of houses, forced repatriation of the original citizens and daily storming of Al-Aqsa mosque and churches; proscribing the Azan (Call to prayer); usurpation of estates; the legislation of racist laws that abolish citizenship of the original people; and taking over trade businesses and lands on the pretext of “absentee owners”.
Such measures and others are parts of a plan that targets Palestinian, Islamic and Christian identity, destruction of Palestinian heritage, elimination of its features and obliterating its existence.
All this is taking place under the sight and hearing of the world.
Dr. Al-Zahhar requested the PUIC members to act in order to exercise pressure on the Zionist regime to put an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people.
22 December, 2018