Israel evicts two Palestinian families from their homes
Monday, August 3, 2009
- 23 December 2011: Attorney general drops case against Israeli participants in Freedom Flotilla
- 22 April 2011: Schoolboy dies in Israel after bus hit by rocket from Gaza
- 10 September 2010: New flotilla planned to set sail for Gaza Strip
- 11 July 2010: Gaza Strip aid ship departs Greece, diverts to Egypt
- 15 June 2010: International Committee of the Red Cross condemns Gaza blockade
Two Palestinian families who have been living in East Jerusalem since 1956, were evicted from their homes on Sunday after an Israeli court rejected their appeal filed against the eviction. The eviction comes after increasing international pressure on Israel to stop settlement activity and end home evictions.
Israeli security forces entered the homes at 6:00 a.m. (local time) and forcibly removed the family and international activists who were also living in the homes. At least 19 children were among those removed. Al Jazeera reports that a family was beaten with batons as they tried to get back into their house. JTA reports that Jewish families moved into the homes shortly after the Palestinian families were evicted.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has laid biblical claim to the areas of East Jerusalem and has stated that Jews have the right to live anywhere in the city. Although Jerusalem is internationally recognized as occupied territory, Israel continues to evict Palestinians and instead build Jewish only apartments in the area, an action which is considered to be illegal under the Fourth Geneva Convention. Israel has plans for 350 new apartment buildings in East Jerusalem. U.N special coordinator for Middle East Peace, Robert Serry, condemned the evictions as "totally unacceptable".
The international community, including the United States, has called on Israel to stop settlement activity and allow for the creation of a Palestinian state.
[edit] Sources
- Jeffery Heller. "Israel Evicts Two Arab Families in East Jerusalem" — Reuters India, August 2, 2009
- "Israel evicts Palestinian Families" — Al Jazeera, August 2, 2009
- "Palestinian Families evicted from E. Jerusalem Homes" — Jewish Telegraphic Agency, August 2, 2009
- "Israel Evicts Two Palestinian Families from East Jerusalem Homes" — Voice of America, August 2, 2009
