A Palestinian resident of Jerusalem's historic Al-Maghrebah (Moroccan) neighborhood has reaffirmed her determination to remain in her ancestral home despite repeated attempts by Israeli settler organizations and real estate brokers to purchase the property.

Aisha Masluhi, originally from Morocco and a long-time resident of the Old City of occupied Jerusalem, said she has consistently rejected lucrative financial offers aimed at persuading her to sell her historic home.

"We are living under the pressure of the occupation, but we praise Allah for bestowing upon us the blessing of being able to remain in the Palestinian lands and especially in Al-Quds Al-Sharif, and to continue our existence here," Masluhi said.

Masluhi stressed that the reality of daily life in occupied Jerusalem stands in stark contrast to portrayals suggesting the city enjoys peace and stability.

"Everyone knows that Palestine is under occupation. Everyone knows that Jerusalem is also occupied," she said.

"We do not want to say that Jerusalem is living in security, prosperity, and peace. No, Jerusalem is not living such a life. Especially the Arab neighborhoods... We are living under the pressure of the occupation."

Despite the hardships, Masluhi said Palestinians continue to preserve their presence in the city through resilience and faith.

She noted that while Palestinian neighborhoods retain their mosques, markets, schools, and community life, these exist under the constant shadow of Israeli occupation.

"The space of freedom granted to the people of Jerusalem is extremely limited," she underlined, adding that any freedoms Palestinians experience are tightly controlled and should not be mistaken for equality or justice.

According to Masluhi, Israel seeks to project an image of calm in Jerusalem to avoid greater international scrutiny while reinforcing its claim over the city.

"Jerusalem is like a compass for Muslims," she said, arguing that Israeli authorities seek to present the city as stable in order to support what she described as their narrative that Jerusalem is the capital of the occupying regime.

Masluhi described the daily challenges faced by Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem, saying residents regularly pass through military checkpoints where they are repeatedly required to present identification documents and explain where they live.

"We go from one military checkpoint to another, and each time we are asked to show our ID and state where we live. This is truly an extremely disturbing situation," she said.

She added that although the city may appear calm to outsiders, conditions can change rapidly, leaving residents feeling as though they are living inside a military zone.

Masluhi also pointed to the economic challenges confronting Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem, saying restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities have prevented meaningful economic development.

"We are not allowed to establish our own factories or create large-scale production facilities. This is especially not permitted in East Jerusalem," she said.

As a result, she noted, employment opportunities remain limited and the local economy continues to struggle.

Despite the political, economic, and social pressures, Masluhi said remaining in Jerusalem is itself an act of resilience.

"For me, and surely for the vast majority of Jerusalemites, the greatest blessing is being able to stay here," she said.

"Praise be to Allah, we are still here, on our land, continuing our existence. We try to live our daily lives within a limited space of freedom. For this, we always praise Allah."

Her remarks reflect the determination of many Palestinian families in occupied Jerusalem who continue to resist displacement and settlement expansion, viewing their continued presence in the city as essential to preserving its Palestinian, Arab, and Islamic heritage amid ongoing occupation and demographic pressures. (ILKHA)