Sheikh Jarrah: Israeli police storm Palestinian protest over Jerusalem evictions
Israeli special forces use batons and mounted horses to disperse Palestinian and international activists protesting in solidarity with families facing eviction
Israeli military police stormed Palestinian houses in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday evening, attacking activists taking part in a sit-in solidarity protest with residents facing imminent eviction.
Three Palestinians were arrested and six injured, local sources told Middle East Eye. The Red Crescent reported that two Palestinians had been hospitalised.
Israeli forces detain a man after storming Palestinian houses whose families face eviction in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, 4 May 2021 (AFP)
Since the beginning of 2020, Israeli courts have ordered the eviction of 13 Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah, a residential area less than a kilometre away from the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Muna al-Kurd, who was attacked on Tuesday evening, told MEE that if Israeli police and settlers take over their houses, “then they will take the whole neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah".
Kurd, whose brother Mahmoud owns one of the houses and was among those arrested, called for international and Palestinian activists to stop the eviction and stand against the Israeli settlers and police.
On Sunday, Israel’s Supreme Court ordered that the Iskafi, Kurd, Jaouni and Qasim families - consisting of 30 adults and 10 children - evacuate their homes by 6 May.
The court gave the Hammad, Dagani and Daoudi families living in the same area until 1 August to evacuate.
Abdel Fattah Iskafi told MEE that his family had lived in their home for decades.
“Israeli special forces besieged Sheikh Jarrah in the evening and didn't allow anyone from outside, especially the solidarity activists, to enter it," he explained.
"This was after the iftar of Ramadan. There were dozens of police and special forces, at least 60 of them, more than the whole population of Sheikh Jarrah."
Despite the tight military cordon around the neighbourhood, activists managed to find routes to reach the houses in the area.
“At about 11pm, the police attacked the residents and the activists who were there in solidarity with us. They brutally beat everyone with batons, sprayed skunk water and dispersed people with mounted horses,” Iskafi said.
Iskafi, who lives with 14 members of his extended family, including his children and grandchildren, confirmed that they would remain in Sheikh Jarrah despite the Supreme Court order.
“We are not going to leave our home, we will remain until the last breath. No one can take away my memories and my heart from my home. We are not going to move anywhere and despite the stress and tough conditions, we are trying to continue our normal daily routine here,” Iskafi told MEE.