Hanady Halawani: ‘Defending Al-Aqsa has a price’

Jerusalemite Hanady Halawani told Al-Jazeera Mubasher that the Israeli occupation forces stormed her house on Thursday evening to hand her the decision to extend her travel ban for a month, which can then be extended for a further six months.

Halawani added that the occupation forces beat her son as soon as he opened the door to them, noting that they took the phone from his hands so that he could not film them and document their storming of the house.

She recounted that according to the decision she received, her travel ban is extended for one month, which can be extended by a further six months, and that: “The total number of bans issued against me in recent years is more than six years.”

Regarding the reason for the travel ban, Halawani explained: “It is a funny reason, as according to the text of the decision, the minister of interior received information stating that my exit from the country would help strengthen security actions that pose a threat to the state, so it was decided to extend my travel ban outside the country.”

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She explained that what the occupation calls a “threat to the security of the state” is, in fact, her participation in international conferences, speaking the truth and exposing the occupation’s crimes to the world.

Halawani shared: “The occupation wants to silence this voice so that we do not expose the truth about its crimes.”

She stressed that the exclusion and travel ban is: “Evidence that our influence is still strong, even if we are banished from Al-Aqsa Mosque or banned from travelling.”

Halawani is proud because, according to her, such decisions are not issued by the police but by a senior official in the occupation authorities, the minister of interior, noting that defending Al-Aqsa Mosque “has a price”.

She pointed out that although the occupation forces know every corner of her house because they have raided it several times, they deliberately knock on all of her neighbours’ doors to disturb them and pressure those who live nearby.

On whether the recent decision, along with the occupation’s harassment, would discourage her from continuing her path, she expressed: “If it were going to discourage me, I would not be on this path, but since the occupation decided to pursue me, I’ve become stronger and more influential, and this is what angers the occupation.” Halawani explained that if the occupation continues to pursue an individual, they grow stronger, and the more they are oppressed, the more they are surprised by patience and confidence.

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