UN human rights office condemns forced displacement of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem
These deportations are “facilitated by the unlawful application of Israeli discriminatory laws against Palestinians in the occupied territories,” the office said in a statement.
Legal proceedings
Some 87 Palestinian families – nearly 680 individuals – face legal action by “settlers” to evict them from their homes in Batn al-Hawa.
On July 9 and 10, the Jerusalem District Court rejected appeals by the Gheith, Abu Nab and Al-Rajabi families against eviction orders issued in lawsuits filed by Jewish settlers in Israel aimed at evicting them from their homes.
The affected families live in nine housing units, which house more than 80 Palestinians, including children, women, the elderly and people with special needs.
Areas of concern
One particular concern concerns the Shehadeh family, a group of 15 people, including eight children, who are facing “escalating steps” leading to forced deportation.
The incident came after the Israeli Supreme Court rejected a petition challenging a Supreme Court ruling on April 11, 2024, requiring the family to vacate their four-story home in Batn al-Hawa to make way for Jewish settlers in Israel.
On July 14, the family received a notice requiring them to leave their home within 20 days, after which the settlers could enforce the eviction order.
“These cases are examples of the ongoing systematic settlement campaign and discriminatory application of a range of laws” aimed at “uprooting Palestinians from their homes, dispossessing their property and placing Israeli settlers in the heart of Palestinian neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem,” the UN human rights office said.
Furthermore, international humanitarian law prohibits Israel from enforcing its legal system in the occupied territories, including using Israeli law to expel Palestinians from their homes.
In addition, the office stated that these laws are discriminatory in nature against Palestinians, violating Israel’s international human rights commitments.
