From Damascus Gate to Shaikh Jarrah: The Palestinian Sovereignty Protests in East Jerusalem

Abstract

The May 2021 Palestinian demonstrations in Shaikh Jarrah and Damascus Gate in occupied East Jerusalem and elsewhere in Arab towns inside Israel mark a dramatic shift in Israeli Palestinian conflict. These events in al Quds (Jerusalem) are directly linked to the Israeli policy of expelling more Palestinians from the borderland zone. In effect, such policy is used to control the most important geo-political space– the Shaikh Jarrah neighbourhood. In so doing, it imposes sovereignty over the Damascus Gate and its steps. The ongoing Israeli policy of imposing full control over the Shaikh Jarrah neighbourhood would mean challenging the historical role of diplomatic missions, international consulates and organizations, which represent many countries in the region. Based on ongoing research and interviews in East Jerusalem, this special essay argues that the Shaikh Jarrah protests are another manifestation of the ongoing struggle over control and sovereignty in the Old City and occupied East Jerusalem. It shows how the Shaikh Jarrah demonstrations display a unique picture of the conflict over borderland and geopolitics in al Quds.

Palestinian Youth Engagement with Online Political Contents Shared by Citizen Journalists—The Case of Save Sheikh Jarrah

“…Recently, al Karama demonstrations during Ramadan 2021 indicate a dramatic shift. The main reason for the 2021 protest movement is Israel's policy of expelling an increasing number of Palestinians from the borderland zone, in an effect to attempt to control the most important geopolitical space in East Jerusalem-the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood-and imposing supremacy over the Damascus Gate and its steps (Nasasra 2022). CyberOrient, Vol.…”

“…Indeed, the Palestinians followed in the footsteps of the rest of the Arab world, using these sites for purposes other than entertainment. Palestinian youth interact with many issues and events via social media, and their interactions with political issues gradually peaked in 2014 and 2021, when human rights violations worsened in the Gaza Strip and conflict heightened in Jerusalem (Nasasra 2022).…”

“…As a result of this political persecution and suppression of free speech, particularly in the case of Jerusalem, which is the focus of the study, Palestinian youth took it upon themselves to play the role of journalists, collecting, documenting, and disseminating the Palestinian narrative through their social media channels to the entire world. Pages and social media accounts supervised by young Palestinian activists were activated in many languages describing to the world what was happening in Palestine and Sheikh Jarrah in particular (Nasasra 2022).…”