Israeli occupation authorities stormed several shops in the Old City of Jerusalem on Thursday, imposing heavy fines on Palestinian shopkeepers, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

According to eyewitnesses, staff of the Israel Tax Authority, accompanied by Israeli police, stormed several Palestinian shops at Sultan Sulayman and Salah ad Din Streets in Jerusalem’s Old City. They reportedly handed heavy fines to the shopkeepers without giving any reason.

Israeli authorities carry out campaigns against Palestinian commercial shops in Jerusalem on a regular basis, issuing fines and confiscating goods.

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Palestinians in East Jerusalem are denied their citizenship rights and are instead classified only as “residents”, whose permits can be revoked if they move away from the city for more than a few years.

They are discriminated against in all aspects of life, including housing, employment, and services. They are also unable to access services in the West Bank due to the construction of Israel’s separation wall.

(PC, WAFA)