Sheikh Jarrah & the Ethnic Cleansing of Jerusalem & Beyond | with Budour Hassan

Palestine Deep Dive

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23rd February 2022: We're live with Budour Hassan, Palestinian writer and legal researcher at the Jerusalem Legal Aid and Human Rights Center (JLAC), to hear the latest on what's happening on the ground in Sheikh Jarrah.

The Salem family of 12, including six children and the elderly mother, Fatima Salem – all of whom are Palestine refugees – face imminent forced ethnic displacement from their family home of 70 years. Palestinian residents are reportedly "under siege" in Sheikh Jarrah, with roads to the neighbourhood blocked off by Israeli Security Forces amidst ongoing abuse and intimidation of residents from Israeli settlers.

There have been reports of property damage, multiple injuries and arrests, including the arrest of eight children since Friday 11 February. The Salem family is one of 218 Palestinian families, which comprise of at least 424 children, living in the East Jerusalem neighbourhoods of Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan currently facing threats of forced ethnic displacement by Israeli authorities.

Humanitarian Country Team in Palestine, comprising United Nations Agencies and international and Palestinian NGOs released a statement on Friday 18th February saying:

"The United Nations has repeatedly called for a halt to forced evictions and demolitions in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem: under international humanitarian law, forcible transfers of protected persons by the occupying power are forbidden regardless of their motive."