Jaffa, MINA – Palestinian citizens in Jaffa report being denied entry to underground bomb shelters by Israelis, a stark reversal from previous access during Israel’s escalating conflict with Iran.
Residents of Yehuda Hayamit Street told Middle East Eye on Tuesday that they were informed the access code to the shelters had been changed. This comes after they had previously sought refuge there in recent days, following Iranian missile strikes targeting Tel Aviv.
They describe the event as a clear act of discrimination and a testament to the inherent dangers they face as Palestinians living in one of the country’s “mixed” cities, where approximately one-third of the population remains Palestinian.
Nasir Ktelat, a 63-year-old man with health issues living in a fourth-floor apartment across from a shelter, stated that he and other Palestinians were initially granted access by a member of their building committee. He noted it was common practice for residents of older nearby buildings to gather in these shelters when sirens blared.
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However, Ktelat recounted that upon entering the shelter this past weekend, they were met with an unwelcoming attitude from Israeli residents of a newer building.
“There were about 12 to 15 of us, Muslims and Christians from nearby buildings. Of course, we felt unwelcome, but we didn’t care,” Ktelat said.
“They said, ‘We’ve made a decision that we don’t want you to come, and we’re going to change the code.’ … It was clear that it was because we are Arabs,” he added.
Ktelat explained that Yehuda Hayamit Street features a mix of old and new residences, and Israeli Jews living in older buildings in the neighborhood are still permitted access to the shelters.
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Jaffa, once a thriving Palestinian port city now on the southern outskirts of Tel Aviv, was ethnically cleansed during the Nakba, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced from their homes during the events leading to the establishment of Israel in 1948. A significant portion of the city’s population was displaced south into refugee camps in Gaza.
In recent years, the area has undergone regeneration, with historic buildings restored and museums and galleries making it a cultural hub for Israelis and tourists. However, Palestinian residents lament that their neighborhoods and residential buildings have been largely neglected in these revitalization efforts.
The recent Iranian attacks on Israel, launched in response to an Israeli strike on Iran, have starkly exposed how Palestinian citizens of Israel, who constitute roughly 20 percent of the population, are largely excluded from the public shelter system.
On Saturday, four Palestinians in Israel were killed in the predominantly Arab town of Tamra, about 25 km east of Haifa, after an Iranian missile unexpectedly struck their residential building. Prior to the attack, Tamra residents had repeatedly complained about the lack of bomb shelters in the area. Residents told MEE that despite the town being home to over 35,000 people, there are no public shelters available.
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Disturbing video footage released on Sunday showed a group of Israelis celebrating the falling of Iranian missiles in Tamra and chanting the anti-Arab song “May your village burn,” popularized by Israeli pop singer Kobi Peretz.
Abed Abu Shahada, a Palestinian activist living in Jaffa, asserted that the refusal to allow Arabs to share shelters demonstrates the “ingrained racism” within Israeli society. Shahada also accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of knowingly endangering all Israeli citizens by attacking Iran despite anticipating a retaliatory response. [Shibgho]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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