Forced expulsion of Palestinians from Sheikh Jarrah violates international law: UN

The United Nations has denounced Israeli forced expulsion of Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East al-Quds, slamming the move as a “violation of international law”.

Stephane Dujarric, a spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, made the remarks at a weekly news conference at the UN headquarters in New York on Sunday, after a UN delegation visited the occupied Palestinian territories, where they met a Palestinian family facing imminent eviction in Sheikh Jarrah.

"Representatives of the United Nations, which are responsible for humanitarian measures, visited the neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah." Dujarric said, as he confirmed the news of the visit.

He added that a number of UN and its affiliated agencies’ representatives met with a Palestinian family, who have been living in their home for 70 years in Sheikh Jarrah, and are now facing the risk of displacement.

Israeli forces tear down Palestinian home, displace 18 residents in Sheikh Jarrah

Israeli occupation forces have displaced a Palestinian family in occupied East al-Quds neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah before tearing down their home.

The Palestinian family includes six children and an elderly woman and is one of 218 Palestinian families, comprising 970 individuals, who live in the neighborhoods of East al-Quds, including Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan.

Dujarric said the UN has repeatedly called for an end to the forced eviction and demolition of homes in the occupied West Bank and East al-Quds.

He said under international humanitarian law, Israeli forces are prohibited from forcibly deporting protected persons, regardless of the motive behind such deportation. Dujarric further called on the Israeli authorities to "adopt the necessary steps to protect civilians, including Palestinian refugees."

UN calls on Israel to halt demolishing Palestinian homes in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood

The UN has called on Israel to stop demolition of Palestinian homes and forced evictions from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of the occupied East al-Quds.

Sheikh Jarrah has been a flashpoint witnessing crackdowns by Israeli forces on the Palestinians protesting against the threatened expulsion of dozens of Palestinian families from their homes in favor of Israeli settlers.

Since Israel seized East al-Quds in a 1967 war, Israeli settler organizations have claimed ownership of land in Sheikh Jarrah and filed multiple lawsuits to evict Palestinians from the area.

Much of the international community considers the Israeli settlement structures illegal under international law due to their construction on occupied territory.

The looming Sheikh Jarrah expulsions have also drawn international attention and sparked global outrage. The forced evictions are widely seen as part of Israel’s attempts to change the demographic character of the occupied territories.

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