Occupied Jerusalem, August 26 (QNA) - The Jerusalem Governorate said that crews affiliated with the Israeli occupation authorities installed a sign bearing the name "Old Gate" while removing signs bearing the name "Damascus Gate," one of the most prominent gates of the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, historically and geographically linked to the city and its Arab identity.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Governorate said that the Israeli occupation authorities continue to change the names of streets, landmarks and historical sites in occupied Jerusalem as part of a policy aimed at erasing their inherited Arabic names and imposing Hebrew names instead.
It considered that changing the names of streets, gates and historical landmarks in Jerusalem is not merely a passing administrative measure, but rather part of a broader policy to reshape the city's urban and cultural landscape and sever future generations from their inherited Arabic names and centuries-old history.
The Governorate affirmed that the names of Jerusalem's gates, streets and landmarks constitute an integral part of the city's national, historical and cultural memory, and that attempts to replace them with new names constitute an infringement on Jerusalem's identity and its Arab, Islamic and Christian heritage.
It warned against the continuation of these policies aimed at changing the city's historical character and imposing a new fait accompli, stressing that changing names will not succeed in erasing Jerusalem's history or obliterating its national and civilizational memory. (QNA)