Israeli court to decide Palestinians Jerusalem evictions

One of the Israeli courts is about to decide the fate of Palestinians who are facing Jerusalem evictions. It has now become the focus of international attention. This long-awaited hearing is concerning the 4 or more than 70 families. They are appearing against an order regarding the leaving of their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood.

The Lower courts have already ruled the land where they have lived at least for decades belongs to the Jewish owners. This issue is fueling the tensions which have caused the Israel – Gaza conflict in May.

After days of clashes between Israel and Palestinians who are protesting against the Jerusalem evictions, Hams fired rockets. It has also hit Jerusalem, which they say, a part of the response to the harassment that Israel is doing in Sheikh Jarrah.

In 11 days of the hostilities, which followed the killing of 265 people in Gaza, the fighting ended with a ceasefire. The human rights of the United Nations have also called on Israel not to carry out any evictions.

The office of the human rights chief said that the displacement of the Palestinians might be a war crime under international law.

Israel occupied East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war. It does not regard the East as the occupied territory. It views the whole of the city as its capital. Many in the international community do not recognize this claim. Israel says that the issue of the Sheikh Jarrah is not anymore a matter of state. It is also a matter of private property dispute which is subjected to the decisions of the courts.

The hearing on Monday is the culmination of at least 30 years of legal proceedings. It began when the land has registered Jewish owners sought to evict the Palestinian resident for not paying the rent.

The claim of Palestine faced rejection from the Jerusalem court in 2020 with the upheld of the eviction. Palestinians see this case as part of a wide move of the Israeli settlers to take over the homes in East Jerusalem.

Credits: BBC