The US has led international condemnation of Israel after it evicted nine Palestinian families living in two houses in occupied East Jerusalem. Club-wielding Israeli riot police evicted two Palestinian families from their homes in occupied east Jerusalem on Sunday, defying international protests over Jewish settlement activity in the area.
Jewish settlers moved into the houses almost immediately. The US has urged Israel to abandon plans for a building project in the area.
"I was born in this house and so were my children," said Maher Hanoun, whose family was evicted along with the neighbouring Ghawi household. "Now we are on the streets. We have become refugees."
The Supreme Court ordered the evictions following an appeal by the Nahalat Shimon International settler group which claimed Jewish settlers have title deeds for the properties, despite UN and Palestinian denials.
Jerusalem authorities have also given permission for the construction of about 20 homes in Sheikh Jarrah, in defiance of global calls for a halt to all settlement activity in occupied east Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Sheikh Jarrah is one of the most sensitive neighbourhoods closest to the so-called Green Line separating east and west Jerusalem, with the fate of the city one of the thorniest issues in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As some settlers carried boxes containing the belongings of the expelled families to a truck, others moved into the houses holding drills, shovels and ladders.
"We are all afraid of being kicked out," said Amal Kassem, a Sheikh Jarrah resident for more than five decades.
She said Jewish settlers were holding "fake title deeds" to homes which the Palestinians obtained in line with a deal struck between Jordan and the UN agency for refugees in 1956, when Jordan had jurisdiction over the area.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed it, a move not recognised by the world community. The evictions have been condemned by the United Nations, the Palestinians and also the UK government. The US said the evictions were not in keeping with Israel's obligations under the so-called "road map" to resolve the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
The operation to evict the 53 Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah district of the city was carried out before dawn on Sunday by police clad in black riot gear. It followed a ruling by Israel's Supreme Court that Jewish families owned the land. Israel wants to build a block of 20 apartments in the area. The police were clad in black riot gear
The evictions were quickly condemned by the United Nations. "I deplore today's totally unacceptable actions by Israel," the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Robert H Serry said. "These actions are contrary to the provisions of the Geneva Conventions related to occupied territory. "These actions heighten tensions and undermine international efforts to create conditions for fruitful negotiations to achieve peace," Mr Perry said.
Palestinian negotiator Sayeb Erekat said:
"Israel is once again showing its utter failure to respect international law," he told reporters.
"Tonight, while these new settlers from abroad will be accommodating themselves and their belongings in these Palestinian houses, 19 newly homeless children will have nowhere to sleep."
Israel considers a united Jerusalem to be the capital of the state of Israel. "Our sovereignty over it is unquestionable," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last month. "We cannot accept the idea that Jews will not have the right to live and buy [homes] anywhere in Jerusalem." The BBC's Tim Franks in Jerusalem says the houses are in what is probably the most contested city on earth and the diplomatic ripples from the evictions will spread.
The UK joined in the condemnation of the evictions.
The British consulate, which is in Sheikh Jarrah along with several other foreign missions, echoed the view.
"The Israelis' claim that the imposition of extremist Jewish settlers into this ancient Arab neighbourhood is a matter for the courts or the municipality is unacceptable," it said in a statement. "These actions are incompatible with the Israeli-professed desire for peace. We urge Israel not to allow the extremists to set the agenda."
There are an estimated 250,000 Palestinians living in East Jerusalem and 200,000 Jews.
Sources:
Washington Report on Middle East Affairs
BBC
France 24
International Middle East Media Centre
See also:
'Israel uses Hitler picture to sell its Settlement expansion': Independent
'Israel defies US and destroys Palestinian homes': Independent
'Israel's evictions upset even its friends': Guardian
'Taking over Jerusalem' Guardian
