Raid in Eastern Jerusalem: Police closes cult bookstore, protests follow!

Raid in Eastern Jerusalem: Police closes cult bookstore, protests follow!

The Jerusalem police carried out a raid on Sunday evening in the renowned bookstore "Educational Bookshop" in Eastern Jerusalem, where the two owners were arrested. According to the police, they are accused of "selling books with stirring content". With the focus on the culture of the Middle East and the Arabic-Israeli conflict, the bookstore, which has existed since 1984, has developed a permanent place in the community. The police confiscated a number of books, including a controversial coloring book for children entitled "From the River to the Sea" (from river to the sea). This slogan is used by both sides of the conflict for its territorial claims, which underlines the explosiveness of the bookstore, such as kathpress.at reported.

The raid met with sharp criticism by peace activists and Steffen Seibert, the German ambassador in Tel Aviv, who announced, a regular customer of the business. Seibert described the owner family as a "peace -loving, proud Palestinian Jerusalemer", which are open to discussions and intellectual exchange. This action, which is perceived by a coalition of 50 peace organizations as a serious threat to the future of Jerusalem, led to protests in front of the courthouse where the arrested were to be demonstrated on Monday. Dozens of demonstrators called for an end to the repression against the bookstore, which is considered an essential part of a peaceful future in Jerusalem.

important cultural institution

In addition to its role in the political discourse, the "Educational Bookshop" is one of the best book stores in Jerusalem, as well as the Jerusalem Post It competes with other excellent bookstores in the city, which offer a large number of international and locally relevant publications. These cultural institutions are not only places of reading, but also important social centers that promote intercultural exchange. The closure or repression of such bookstores could have far -reaching consequences for access to information and cultural goods in the region.