Status: 03/01/2022 5:06 p.m
The situation of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem who are threatened with evictions could ease. According to a verdict, the residents are allowed to stay for the time being – until the property rights are checked.
The lawyers for the Palestinian families speak of a great victory for justice. Because the families could be protected from forced eviction for years by the verdict. It’s about the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. For years, Palestinian families have been fighting with Israeli right-wing organizations over land and houses.
No evictions for now
Last year, Hamas in the Gaza Strip justified its rocket attacks on Jerusalem with unrest in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. A military conflict lasting several days ensued between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The conflict over possible forced evictions therefore has the potential to fuel the Middle East conflict.
Israel’s Supreme Court has now ordered no evictions pending a separate review by the State of Israel over who owns the land on which the houses stand. Such a process could take years.
Key Question: Who Owns Jerusalem?
Before the State of Israel was established in 1948, many properties in the area were owned by Jews. During Jordanian rule until 1967 over East Jerusalem, houses were built there and allocated to Palestinians who had often lost their homes in present-day Israel. Israel conquered East Jerusalem in 1967 and later annexed the area. However, this has never been recognized under international law.
Right-wing Israeli organizations have bought what are believed to be old property rights to the land in order to force Palestinian families out of their homes. It is about a key question in the Middle East conflict: Who owns Jerusalem? The Palestinians claim the eastern part of the city as their own capital. Israel claims the entire city. The settlement of Jews in the annexed eastern part of the city is intended to emphasize this.