Israeli authorities on Thursday shut down the offices of a Palestinian sports and football club inside the ancient walls of occupied East Jerusalem. The closure followed an order issued by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in the Israeli caretaker government.
Members of the Abnaa Al-Quds Club could not access their facilities in the Sa’diya neighborhood of Jerusalem’s Old City. They were also unable to reach the club pitch, which sits next to the historic walls to the north. The Palestine News Agency reported the details of the sudden closure.
The club is known for social and cultural events alongside football. In October, it postponed a friendly match against Shabab Al-Khaleel in Hebron after an Israeli military operation launched in the city.
The Jerusalem governorate issued a public statement on the closure. It said the action formed part of a move targeting Palestinian national, sports and social institutions in Jerusalem.
The decision comes amid an ongoing Israeli escalation targeting Palestinian national institutions and activities in Jerusalem through closures, persecution and restrictions. The governorate warned that these measures seek to undermine Palestinian institutional and community life, limiting spaces for Jerusalemites to engage in sports, cultural and social activities.
Ben-Gvir is a settler activist and leader who became a minister in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in late 2022. His party, Otzma Yehudit, won seven seats in last month’s Israeli election.
Gadi Eisenkot, a former top general, is currently assembling a government. If successful, this new administration will unseat Netanyahu and his coalition.
