Israeli police also placed heavy restrictions on Palestinians seeking to enter occupied East Jerusalem for Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third-holiest site
The Israeli forces raided several mosques in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus on 7 March while imposing restrictions on Palestinians seeking to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, WAFA news agency reported.
Israeli forces raided six mosques in the Old City of Nablus at dawn on Friday – the first Friday of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan – while preventing the morning prayer from being held and detaining three Palestinians during their incursion into the city.
Israeli troops fired live ammunition, stun grenades, and tear gas canisters while storming multiple neighborhoods in the city, local sources told the official Palestinian news agency.
“During the incursion, the occupation forces stormed and searched several mosques, including Al-Satoon Mosque, Ajaj Mosque, the Great Salah al-Din Mosque, Al-Tina Mosque, Al-Nasr Mosque, and Al-Beik Mosque,” WAFA said. “These mosques, all located in the Old City, were ransacked during the raids.”
Israeli forces also imposed strict restrictions on the entry of Palestinian Muslims traveling from the occupied West Bank to occupied East Jerusalem for Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, WAFA reported.
Palestinian men under the age of 55 were banned from passing through the Qalandia checkpoint, while women under the age of 50 were also banned from crossing, despite having special permits to enter Jerusalem.
Eyewitnesses told WAFA that thousands of worshippers were not allowed to pass Qalandia under the pretext of not having the necessary permits.
Israeli security forces also imposed restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers who are residents of occupied East Jerusalem. Israeli forces checked the identities of young men at the entrances to the Old City and the doors of the mosque and prevented a number of them from entering, WAFA added.
Despite the restrictions, some 90,000 Palestinians reached Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, for Friday prayers, The New Arab reported.
The Muslim holy month comes this year amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and an ongoing Israeli military campaign in the occupied West Bank that has forcibly expelled tens of thousands from their homes in the Nablus, Jenin, and Tulkarem refugee camps.
Senior Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Council member Ahmed Majdalani warned against the US and Israel’s ongoing attempts to forcibly expel Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians from the strip and to annex the West Bank.
“If [US President Donald Trump] thinks that there will be regional peace with Israeli normalization alongside the mass expulsion of Gaza’s residents and the annexation of the West Bank, he is wrong,” Majdalani told the Times of Israel on Friday.
Majdalani threatened to cut ties with the US if Israel moves ahead with plans to expel Palestinians from Gaza with support from the president.
“Why would we have ties if Mr. Trump sticks to this proposal?” he said.
Israeli forces raided six mosques in the Old City of Nablus at dawn on Friday – the first Friday of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan – while preventing the morning prayer from being held and detaining three Palestinians during their incursion into the city.
Israeli troops fired live ammunition, stun grenades, and tear gas canisters while storming multiple neighborhoods in the city, local sources told the official Palestinian news agency.
“During the incursion, the occupation forces stormed and searched several mosques, including Al-Satoon Mosque, Ajaj Mosque, the Great Salah al-Din Mosque, Al-Tina Mosque, Al-Nasr Mosque, and Al-Beik Mosque,” WAFA said. “These mosques, all located in the Old City, were ransacked during the raids.”
Israeli forces also imposed strict restrictions on the entry of Palestinian Muslims traveling from the occupied West Bank to occupied East Jerusalem for Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque, WAFA reported.
Palestinian men under the age of 55 were banned from passing through the Qalandia checkpoint, while women under the age of 50 were also banned from crossing, despite having special permits to enter Jerusalem.
Eyewitnesses told WAFA that thousands of worshippers were not allowed to pass Qalandia under the pretext of not having the necessary permits.
Israeli security forces also imposed restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers who are residents of occupied East Jerusalem. Israeli forces checked the identities of young men at the entrances to the Old City and the doors of the mosque and prevented a number of them from entering, WAFA added.
Despite the restrictions, some 90,000 Palestinians reached Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, for Friday prayers, The New Arab reported.
The Muslim holy month comes this year amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and an ongoing Israeli military campaign in the occupied West Bank that has forcibly expelled tens of thousands from their homes in the Nablus, Jenin, and Tulkarem refugee camps.
Senior Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Council member Ahmed Majdalani warned against the US and Israel’s ongoing attempts to forcibly expel Gaza’s 2.3 million Palestinians from the strip and to annex the West Bank.
“If [US President Donald Trump] thinks that there will be regional peace with Israeli normalization alongside the mass expulsion of Gaza’s residents and the annexation of the West Bank, he is wrong,” Majdalani told the Times of Israel on Friday.
Majdalani threatened to cut ties with the US if Israel moves ahead with plans to expel Palestinians from Gaza with support from the president.
“Why would we have ties if Mr. Trump sticks to this proposal?” he said.
Areeb Ullah
Mizrachi UK stands accused of raising funds for tactical weapons and equipment for the Israeli army in Gaza
A British charity has been referred to the UK's charity regulator after a legal group accused it of spreading hate speech and fundraising for soldiers in the Israeli army.
The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), a UK-based group, submitted a formal complaint to the Charity Commission against Mizrachi Israel Support Trust or Mizrachi UK.
Mizrachi UK is a UK-based charity that states its purpose is to provide vocational training to Britain’s Jewish community and elected representatives in the UK and Israel. It presents itself as "the UK’s leading framework for religious Zionism".
In its complaint, the ICJP included screenshots from Mizrachi UK's newsletter, Facebook page and website, which appear to show the charity actively fundraising for soldiers fighting in the Israeli army.
The posts submitted by the ICJP include calls by Mizrachi UK for donations to its Tzevet Perez emergency fund, which raised money to pay for tactical gear given to soldiers, including ceramic bulletproof inserts, tactical helmets and miscellaneous items like mattresses, tents and warm clothing.
The complaint also included quotes from orators featured in Mizrachi UK's events, which include a speaker referring to Palestinians as "devils, cruel animals not animals".
Another one called on Israelis to "drown" Palestinians in Gaza "like we drowned the pharoah and his people in Egypt".
Mira Naseer, ICJP legal officer, said the group is concerned by the number of charities it is finding are raising money for soldiers in the Israeli army.
“Allowing charities in the UK to fundraise for unlawful purposes and spread divisive rhetoric undermines the public’s trust in the charity sector,” said Naseer.
“The Charity Commission must investigate and take serious action against any wrongdoing: a slap on the wrist will not suffice.”
A spokesperson for the Charity Commission confirmed to Middle East Eye that it had "received a complaint about Mizrachi (UK) Israel Support Trust and [is] currently assessing information to determine any next steps.”
Mizrachi UK did not respond to a request for comment at the time of writing.
Regulatory cases
The ICJP’s complaint follows a Charity Commission announcement in January which declared it unlawful for British charities to raise funds or send money to soldiers in the Israeli army.
The commission issued a warning against Chabad Lubavitch Centres North East London and Essex Limited after the charity received 180 complaints for raising money for a soldier fighting for the Israeli army in northern Israel.
In October 2023, Chabad Lubavitch Centres North East London and Essex Limited set up a fundraising page for a soldier stationed in northern Israel.
The page, which was eventually removed in January 2024, raised approximately £2,280 ($2,804). From that amount, the charity sent £937 to an individual soldier.
Since October 2023, the Charity Commission has opened more than 200 regulatory cases related to the war on Gaza.
The commission said the investigations involved charities with different positions on the war.
Israeli forces in Gaza have been accused of war crimes and genocide by rights organisations including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Last year, the charity regulator told MEE that it was assessing a complaint against AAC, a Jewish fundraising organisation accused of facilitating donations to an Israeli charity providing equipment to soldiers fighting in Gaza.
The Charity Commission also said it was investigating the Boys Clubhouse, a charity based in Hendon, north London, after it held an event marking the return to the UK of a British man who had been fighting for the Israeli army in Gaza.
Mizrachi UK stands accused of raising funds for tactical weapons and equipment for the Israeli army in Gaza
A British charity has been referred to the UK's charity regulator after a legal group accused it of spreading hate speech and fundraising for soldiers in the Israeli army.
The International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), a UK-based group, submitted a formal complaint to the Charity Commission against Mizrachi Israel Support Trust or Mizrachi UK.
Mizrachi UK is a UK-based charity that states its purpose is to provide vocational training to Britain’s Jewish community and elected representatives in the UK and Israel. It presents itself as "the UK’s leading framework for religious Zionism".
In its complaint, the ICJP included screenshots from Mizrachi UK's newsletter, Facebook page and website, which appear to show the charity actively fundraising for soldiers fighting in the Israeli army.
The posts submitted by the ICJP include calls by Mizrachi UK for donations to its Tzevet Perez emergency fund, which raised money to pay for tactical gear given to soldiers, including ceramic bulletproof inserts, tactical helmets and miscellaneous items like mattresses, tents and warm clothing.
The complaint also included quotes from orators featured in Mizrachi UK's events, which include a speaker referring to Palestinians as "devils, cruel animals not animals".
Another one called on Israelis to "drown" Palestinians in Gaza "like we drowned the pharoah and his people in Egypt".
Mira Naseer, ICJP legal officer, said the group is concerned by the number of charities it is finding are raising money for soldiers in the Israeli army.
“Allowing charities in the UK to fundraise for unlawful purposes and spread divisive rhetoric undermines the public’s trust in the charity sector,” said Naseer.
“The Charity Commission must investigate and take serious action against any wrongdoing: a slap on the wrist will not suffice.”
A spokesperson for the Charity Commission confirmed to Middle East Eye that it had "received a complaint about Mizrachi (UK) Israel Support Trust and [is] currently assessing information to determine any next steps.”
Mizrachi UK did not respond to a request for comment at the time of writing.
Regulatory cases
The ICJP’s complaint follows a Charity Commission announcement in January which declared it unlawful for British charities to raise funds or send money to soldiers in the Israeli army.
The commission issued a warning against Chabad Lubavitch Centres North East London and Essex Limited after the charity received 180 complaints for raising money for a soldier fighting for the Israeli army in northern Israel.
In October 2023, Chabad Lubavitch Centres North East London and Essex Limited set up a fundraising page for a soldier stationed in northern Israel.
The page, which was eventually removed in January 2024, raised approximately £2,280 ($2,804). From that amount, the charity sent £937 to an individual soldier.
Since October 2023, the Charity Commission has opened more than 200 regulatory cases related to the war on Gaza.
The commission said the investigations involved charities with different positions on the war.
Israeli forces in Gaza have been accused of war crimes and genocide by rights organisations including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Last year, the charity regulator told MEE that it was assessing a complaint against AAC, a Jewish fundraising organisation accused of facilitating donations to an Israeli charity providing equipment to soldiers fighting in Gaza.
The Charity Commission also said it was investigating the Boys Clubhouse, a charity based in Hendon, north London, after it held an event marking the return to the UK of a British man who had been fighting for the Israeli army in Gaza.
Michael Arria
March 6, 2025
The Trump administration wasted no time wielding its power to target pro-Palestine students.
The President immediately signed an executive order aimed at deporting non-citizen college students who have participated in anti-genocide protests. He also set up a Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, which is quite obviously a Task Force to Combat Anti-Zionism.
That task force recently announced that it would be paying a visit to 10 universities to determine “whether remedial action is warranted.” Every campus selected has seen large protests in solidarity with Gaza.
The task force also revealed that it would consider cutting $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia and the federal government in response to student Palestine activism. In a statement Secretary of Education Linda McMahon claimed that “unlawful encampments and demonstrations have completely paralyzed day-to-day campus operations, depriving Jewish students of learning opportunities to which they are entitled.”
“All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came,” wrote President Donald Trump in a Truth Social post shortly after that announcement. “American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Amazing stuff from an administration that claims to have “brought back free speech.”
Amid this climate comes another Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on antisemitism, which took place on Wednesday.
These affairs are always loaded with a lot of preposterous claims, but let’s take a moment to single out some particularly farcical testimony from The Federalist’s Asra Nomani. According to Nomani, various Palestine solidarity groups are being funded by China, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, and Russia.
According to Nomani, “These are organizations that are belying their own mission in order to use, as a trojan horse, this opposition to Israel to perpetuate this.”
Pro-Israel activist Adela Cojab praised the Trump administration for purposely conflating antisemitism with Anti-Zionism and student activists. “It seems that the new administration, because they’re putting teeth finally behind the Civil Rights Act that we’ve been begging to be enforced, administrations are finally making a difference,” she told the Senators.
Per usual, the Democrats didn’t really push back against any of these narratives. They focused on the fact that Trump is working to dismantle the Department of Education.
“If we are going to underfund the Office of Civil Rights, we can have these hearings every week, in fact we can have twice a week,” asked Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). “And the obvious question is: Who’s going to litigate the claims that are made of antisemitism on campus or anywhere else? If you truly want to stop antisemitism, you at least have to leave open the possibility that there be some way to litigate your case.”
“What’s there to investigate?,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) in response to testimony from the Nexus Leadership Project’s Kevin Rachlin. “We see it. We saw it. Did you watch television? Did you see what happened in Columbia? I mean, it was clear to me that the administration of Columbia and most members of the faculty believe passionately in diversity, equity, inclusion and the right to hurt Jews. That’s what I saw.”
On a related note Mondoweiss just launched Power & Pushback, a new newsletter dedicated to the voices of the U.S. Palestine movement and the efforts to suppress it. If there’s something interesting (or concerning) happening on your campus or in your community, please reach out to me: michael@mondoweiss.net.
Trump and Hamas
Trump’s first State of the Union was as wild and confounding as most assumed, but there were some very interesting things missing from it.
Despite the ongoing ceasefire negotiations, public discussions about the future of Gaza, and another astronomical weapon package, he only made a passing mention of Israel. Even that reference wasn’t connected to anything currently happening in the region. The country was merely name-checked during a farcical section arguing for a domestic “Golden Dome Missile defense shield.”
The omission was enough to anger pro-Israel Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), who tweeted that it was “very disappointing” that Trump failed “express support for Israel and barely mentioned the hostages.”
Just weeks ago there was massive backlash over Trump’s proposed plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza and convert the area into condos. You’d think he might mention these plans in his speech, but no.
“With a leader as erratic and impulsive as Trump, it’s difficult to know what to make of this,” wrote Middle East analyst Mouin Rabbani on Twitter. “On the one hand, it could mean he has signed off on Israel’s intention to derail the Israel-Hamas January agreement and resume its genocidal military campaign.”
“It could also mean that Middle East envoy Witkoff’s upcoming trip to the Middle East is designed to salvage the agreement, after the recent attempt to abrogate it and replace it with a different one failed,” he continued. “The role of Arab governments will be crucial moving forward. If they continue playing the role of inert spectators, Washington will understand that there is no price to pay for removing the leash from its Israeli proxy. If they impress upon Trump that matters have now reached the stage of directly affecting their national security and change is required, this could make a difference.”
A day later Axios‘ Barak Ravid reported that the Trump administration was holding secret talks with Hamas.
“The talks — held by U.S. presidential envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler — are unprecedented,” noted Ravid. “The U.S. had never before engaged directly with Hamas, which it designated a terrorist organization in 1997.”
Shortly after this news dropped, Trump made a post on Truth Social directly threatening Hamas with annihilation.
“‘Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye – You can choose,” he wrote. “Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you. Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted! I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say. I have just met with your former Hostages whose lives you have destroyed.”
“This is your last warning! For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance,” he continued. “Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!”
What to make of the seeming contradiction here? Back to Rabbani’s Twitter: “Taking into consideration that Washington’s Caligula is erratic and impulsive in equal measure, no definitive conclusions can or should be drawn.”
Hamas brushed off Trump’s threat and reiterated that it would only release more hostages in exchange for a ceasefire. Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua pointed out that negotiations for this phase were supposed to begin weeks ago, but have been held up by the Israeli government.
The group hasn’t wavered from this position since Trump took office, despite the president’s bombastic rhetoric.
March 6, 2025
The Trump administration wasted no time wielding its power to target pro-Palestine students.
The President immediately signed an executive order aimed at deporting non-citizen college students who have participated in anti-genocide protests. He also set up a Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, which is quite obviously a Task Force to Combat Anti-Zionism.
That task force recently announced that it would be paying a visit to 10 universities to determine “whether remedial action is warranted.” Every campus selected has seen large protests in solidarity with Gaza.
The task force also revealed that it would consider cutting $51.4 million in contracts between Columbia and the federal government in response to student Palestine activism. In a statement Secretary of Education Linda McMahon claimed that “unlawful encampments and demonstrations have completely paralyzed day-to-day campus operations, depriving Jewish students of learning opportunities to which they are entitled.”
“All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came,” wrote President Donald Trump in a Truth Social post shortly after that announcement. “American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
Amazing stuff from an administration that claims to have “brought back free speech.”
Amid this climate comes another Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on antisemitism, which took place on Wednesday.
These affairs are always loaded with a lot of preposterous claims, but let’s take a moment to single out some particularly farcical testimony from The Federalist’s Asra Nomani. According to Nomani, various Palestine solidarity groups are being funded by China, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, and Russia.
According to Nomani, “These are organizations that are belying their own mission in order to use, as a trojan horse, this opposition to Israel to perpetuate this.”
Pro-Israel activist Adela Cojab praised the Trump administration for purposely conflating antisemitism with Anti-Zionism and student activists. “It seems that the new administration, because they’re putting teeth finally behind the Civil Rights Act that we’ve been begging to be enforced, administrations are finally making a difference,” she told the Senators.
Per usual, the Democrats didn’t really push back against any of these narratives. They focused on the fact that Trump is working to dismantle the Department of Education.
“If we are going to underfund the Office of Civil Rights, we can have these hearings every week, in fact we can have twice a week,” asked Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL). “And the obvious question is: Who’s going to litigate the claims that are made of antisemitism on campus or anywhere else? If you truly want to stop antisemitism, you at least have to leave open the possibility that there be some way to litigate your case.”
“What’s there to investigate?,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) in response to testimony from the Nexus Leadership Project’s Kevin Rachlin. “We see it. We saw it. Did you watch television? Did you see what happened in Columbia? I mean, it was clear to me that the administration of Columbia and most members of the faculty believe passionately in diversity, equity, inclusion and the right to hurt Jews. That’s what I saw.”
On a related note Mondoweiss just launched Power & Pushback, a new newsletter dedicated to the voices of the U.S. Palestine movement and the efforts to suppress it. If there’s something interesting (or concerning) happening on your campus or in your community, please reach out to me: michael@mondoweiss.net.
Trump and Hamas
Trump’s first State of the Union was as wild and confounding as most assumed, but there were some very interesting things missing from it.
Despite the ongoing ceasefire negotiations, public discussions about the future of Gaza, and another astronomical weapon package, he only made a passing mention of Israel. Even that reference wasn’t connected to anything currently happening in the region. The country was merely name-checked during a farcical section arguing for a domestic “Golden Dome Missile defense shield.”
The omission was enough to anger pro-Israel Democratic Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY), who tweeted that it was “very disappointing” that Trump failed “express support for Israel and barely mentioned the hostages.”
Just weeks ago there was massive backlash over Trump’s proposed plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza and convert the area into condos. You’d think he might mention these plans in his speech, but no.
“With a leader as erratic and impulsive as Trump, it’s difficult to know what to make of this,” wrote Middle East analyst Mouin Rabbani on Twitter. “On the one hand, it could mean he has signed off on Israel’s intention to derail the Israel-Hamas January agreement and resume its genocidal military campaign.”
“It could also mean that Middle East envoy Witkoff’s upcoming trip to the Middle East is designed to salvage the agreement, after the recent attempt to abrogate it and replace it with a different one failed,” he continued. “The role of Arab governments will be crucial moving forward. If they continue playing the role of inert spectators, Washington will understand that there is no price to pay for removing the leash from its Israeli proxy. If they impress upon Trump that matters have now reached the stage of directly affecting their national security and change is required, this could make a difference.”
A day later Axios‘ Barak Ravid reported that the Trump administration was holding secret talks with Hamas.
“The talks — held by U.S. presidential envoy for hostage affairs Adam Boehler — are unprecedented,” noted Ravid. “The U.S. had never before engaged directly with Hamas, which it designated a terrorist organization in 1997.”
Shortly after this news dropped, Trump made a post on Truth Social directly threatening Hamas with annihilation.
“‘Shalom Hamas’ means Hello and Goodbye – You can choose,” he wrote. “Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you. Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted! I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say. I have just met with your former Hostages whose lives you have destroyed.”
“This is your last warning! For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance,” he continued. “Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!”
What to make of the seeming contradiction here? Back to Rabbani’s Twitter: “Taking into consideration that Washington’s Caligula is erratic and impulsive in equal measure, no definitive conclusions can or should be drawn.”
Hamas brushed off Trump’s threat and reiterated that it would only release more hostages in exchange for a ceasefire. Hamas spokesman Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua pointed out that negotiations for this phase were supposed to begin weeks ago, but have been held up by the Israeli government.
The group hasn’t wavered from this position since Trump took office, despite the president’s bombastic rhetoric.
Student protesters participate in the Gaza encampment at The George Washington University (Photo: Taytum Wymer)
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