Israeli rights group, UN expert decry impending Palestinian evictions

  • Date: 12-Jan-2021
  • Source: Arab News
  • Sector:Economy
  • Country:Middle East
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Israeli rights group, UN expert decry impending Palestinian evictions

Mon, 2021-01-11 22:00

LONDON: An Israeli rights group and a UN expert have condemned Israel's planned evictions of 16 Palestinian families from East Jerusalem.

Israeli courts have in the last few months upheld eviction orders to force 16 Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, which Israel illegally annexed in 1980.

Linda Ramsden, director of the Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolitions, called the policy of evictions and demolitions "immoral and illegal.“

She told Arab News: "These evictions are just another example of the Israeli policy to reduce East Jerusalem's Palestinian population, 'Judaizing' the city “” the term used by Israeli academics and politicians.“

She added: "This action sits alongside other displacements and the seemingly unstoppable rise of illegal West Bank settlements, forcing out Palestinians to make way for Jewish settlers.“

Ramsden said the plans are illegal under international law but are able to pass through the "narrow“ Israeli courts.

"Given the ineffectiveness of applying international law, it's incumbent on us as members of civil society to speak out and pressure our governments to end this illegal and immoral policy,“ she added.

Michael Lynk, UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, said