Palestinians protest against seizure of homes in East Jerusalem. The Supreme Court rules against confiscation of land in Silwan
Jerusalem (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Dozens of Palestinians and members of international NGOs protested yesterday in the old city of Jerusalem against threats to seize the house of a Palestinian family to make way for Israeli settlers.
The house,
inhabited by eight members of the Sub Laban family, is just a few steps from
the Al Aqsa Mosque.
Rafat
Sub Laban who lives in that house with her parents, his sister, his brother and
children said that he has rented the house since 1953, when the old town was
ruled by Jordan.
The Israeli
authorities ordered Rafat's eviction last September, but Rafat appealed the
decision. However,
last week, a group of police and Israeli settlers tried to take possession of
the house.
Israel
occupied East Jerusalem during the Six Day War in 1967 and annexed it against
the will of the international community. While
the Palestinians dream of making east Jerusalem the capital of a future state
of Palestine, several Israeli authorities, and the premier Benjamin Netanyahu,
proclaim Jerusalem the "united, undivided eternal capital" of Israel.
In its effort to
take possession of the territory, Israel is expanding settler activities, placing
harsh conditions on Arab residents, buying land, or expropriating it. The
international community has often condemned this policy, but seems helpless to
stop it.
Some
days ago the Israeli Supreme Court rejected Jerusalem city council's attempt to
confiscate Palestinian property in Wadi Qaddum, in the area of Silwan, south
of the old city.
The
area of Silwan has often been targeted by Israeli settlers. In
an effort to expel the Palestinians, they invade buildings or forcibly occupy
them, driving out inhabitants. At
present, there are at least 300 thousand Israeli settlers in East Jerusalem.
.png)
06/08/2019 13:05
14/07/2005
