“Over my dead body will they dig up my son’s grave.” Ola Nababta’s words echo here at Kofor Aqab Cemetery. This cemetery is more than just a burial ground. It’s a testament to the enduring spirit of Jerusalemite families.
Kofor Aqab Cemetery is located in the northernmost Palestinian Arab neighborhood in East Jerusalem. It is a place where history and struggle intertwine. Israel annexed this area after its occupation in 1967. The separation wall now cuts it off from the rest of Jerusalem.
The story of Kofor Aqab is a complex one. The Palestine Exploration Fund suggested it was once the Crusader village Kefreachab. King Godfrey gave it as a fief to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
During the Ottoman era, Kafr Aqba appeared in tax records as a Muslim village. By the British Mandate era, its population had grown. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, it came under Jordanian rule.
Since the Six-Day War in 1967, Kofor Aqab has been under Israeli occupation. Israel has confiscated land to construct settlements. Despite being part of Jerusalem, the separation barrier isolates it. Municipal inspectors rarely venture beyond the barrier.
In recent years, Kofor Aqab Cemetery has faced threats. Israeli authorities have moved forward with plans to build a “national park” over parts of it. Excavations have exposed human remains. This has sparked outrage and protests. Palestinians have vowed to defend the graves of their loved ones.
The Al-Yousufiya Cemetery is a landmark dating back to the Ayyubid period. It includes the Cemetery of the Martyrs. This section honors those killed defending Jerusalem in 1967.
Since 2004, Israeli authorities have taken steps to alter the cemetery. They issued demolition orders and banned maintenance work. New burials were blocked. Graves belonging to Jordanians were destroyed.
Mustafa Abu Zahra says these actions are part of a policy targeting Islamic sites in Jerusalem. He says that the aim is to destroy Arab and Islamic landmarks. Similar policies have affected other cemeteries, such as Ma’man Allah Cemetery.
Ola Nababta’s story is just one of many. Her sons are buried in these cemeteries. She and others are determined to protect them. They see these graves as a connection to their past and a symbol of their identity.
The struggle over Kofor Aqab Cemetery reflects the larger conflict in Jerusalem. It is a fight over land, history, and the right to remember. The voices of those who stand guard here echo with resilience. They declare that they will not allow their heritage to be erased.