UN head condemns East Jerusalem evictions

Jerusalem, 4^th November (EAPPI) – The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has condemned Israel’s evictions and house demolitions in East Jerusalem, saying they “stoke tensions, cause suffering and further undermine trust.”

Mr Ban called on Tuesday for Israel to “cease such provocative actions… (and) implement its Road Map commitments by freezing all settlement activity.” His statement came after around 40 settlers invaded a house in East Jerusalem, throwing the personal items of the Palestinian residents onto the street as Israeli police looked on.

Ecumenical Accompaniers were at the scene as the Rivka Al Kurd family pleaded with police to evict the settlers.

"There were at least 15 settlers there when we arrived. The settlers across the road were waving flags, cheering and so forth,” said Terry, a Jerusalem EA.

“(Later) the Israeli police escorted the leaders of the settlers out of the house, apparently to go and celebrate at a nearby shrine," he said.

On Monday the Israeli authorities also destroyed three Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, making 35 people homeless including seven children.

The actions follow the US government's apparent about-turn on Israeli settlements. The Obama administration had been urging Israel to freeze settlement activity, but Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called this week for the Palestinians to return to negotiations with Israel without preconditions.

Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem said they felt betrayed by the turn-around.

“America, the EU, Britain are supporting Israel and the settlers, but should be protecting the Palestinians,” said an English-speaking neighbor of the Al Kurds. 

“The settlers want to build 200 units in Sheik Jarrah, funding by the Americans.  Israel does not want peace,” she said.

The Al-Kurd family, along with 27 others, was provided a home in the area by the Jordanian government and the United Nations Refugees and Works Agency (UNRWA) in 1956, when Jordan controlled the area. Israeli settler groups claim the properties belonged to Jews in the 19^th century, and have used suspect Ottoman-era documents in court to push the Palestinian families out.

Since November last year, four families have been evicted from homes in Sheikh Jarrah, all of which have been taken over by settlers with armed guards. Police have also several times destroyed the tent of the Ghawi family, who have been living on the pavement opposite their home since August.

The 28 families are refugees who were expelled from their homes in what became Israel in 1948. The Israeli courts have recently ruled several times in favour of the radical settler group Ateret Cohanim, which is funded by American gambling magnate Irving Moskowitz. Israeli law does not recognize the claims of Palestinians to their properties in what is now Israel.

Human rights advocates urged the international community to protest the developments.