Palestinian Authority criticizes house arrest against Palestinian governor of Jerusalem

The Palestinian Authority has criticized Friday the decision of an Israeli court to place under house arrest the Palestinian governor for Jerusalem, Adnan Ghaiz, following his detention during the day on Monday.

The Palestinian Authority Presidency has indicated that the decision “violates humanitarian law” and noted that “decisions against Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Palestinian state, and its defenders will not deter Palestinians from defending their holy sites and their capital.”

Likewise, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohamad Shtayeh stressed that the ruling is “an obstruction of the governor’s work and tasks in providing services to Palestinians in the occupied city.”

Shtaye said that Jerusalem “is being Judaized” and that the “identity” of the city “is being destroyed through the arrogance of power,” as reported by the Palestinian news agency WAFA.

In this regard, he stressed that “these practices will not succeed in changing the character of the Holy City, which will remain Palestinian.”

Ghaiz, arrested on Monday at his home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, was released on Thursday to begin a period of house arrest until his trial date for allegedly violating an order not to enter the West Bank. The man has been detained more than 30 times since he took office in August 2018.