A Jerusalem court has delayed the hearing on the evictions of Palestinian families in the occupied Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, while tensions in the city have risen in recent days.
At least 90 Palestinians were injured Saturday night in an Israeli police crackdown on protesters in front of Jerusalem’s Old City as tens of thousands of Muslim worshipers pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in the world. Islam, the holy night of Laylat al-Qadr.
The violence came after Israeli forces stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque and injured more than 200 Palestinians on Friday night. Israeli forces said 17 of their officers were injured in the past two days.
Tensions have risen in Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza throughout the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, amid growing anger over possible evictions of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah, on land claimed by illegal Jewish settlers.
Israeli security forces were on high alert Sunday, preparing for a new escalation ahead of what Israelis call Jerusalem Day on Monday. Many Israelis mark the day that East Jerusalem was occupied in 1967 – and later annexed by Israel – with marches all over Jerusalem each year.
Here are the latest updates:
I hope Netanyahu’s government “disappears a lot” politically – the former Israeli minister
Former Israeli Justice Minister Yossi Beilin said he hoped Netanyahu’s government would “disappear politically” in the coming days and a more sensitive new government emerge.
“I really hope that the majorities on both sides, which are reasonable, the last thing they need is for the Israeli police to enter Haram al-Sharif,” Beilin said.
“Perhaps the new government of Israel will help end these idiotic confrontations that have lasted thousands of years.”
The families of Sheikh Jarrah condemn the court delay
Sheikh Jarrah’s families condemned the decision by a Jerusalem court that delayed Monday’s hearings on evictions in the East Jerusalem neighborhood, calling for more solidarity with families on the ground and also on social media.
In a press release sent to Al Jazeera, the families said they were waiting for this decision and that this decision does not mean that the case will be terminated. On the contrary, they will need the support of everyone, as the violence against them did not stop, the statement said.
‘It will not allow violent riots’: Israeli Prime Minister
Addressing a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel “will not allow any extremist to destabilize the calm of Jerusalem. We will enforce the law and order in a determined and responsible manner.”
“We will continue to maintain freedom of worship for all religions, but we will not allow violent riots,” he said.
‘Enough of the clashes’: Pope
Pope Francis on Sunday expressed concern about the violence in Jerusalem and called on everyone “to find shared solutions so that the multireligious and multicultural identity of the holy city is respected.”
“I pray that it will be a place of encounter and not of clashes, a place of prayer and peace,” Francis told the audience gathered in St. Peter’s Square to make his traditional comments on Sunday at noon.
“Violence only generates violence. Enough with the clashes! Added the pontiff.
Jerusalem court delays hearing of Sheikh Jarrah’s evictions
The Israeli justice ministry said it would delay a key hearing on Monday in a case that could see Palestinian families evicted from their East Jerusalem homes to make way for illegal Jewish settlers.
“In all circumstances and taking into account the request of the Attorney General, the periodic hearing tomorrow, May 10, 2021 [is] canceled, “he said in a statement, adding that he would schedule a new hearing in 30 days.
Dozens of Palestinians and several Israeli police officers have been injured in clashes in recent days in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, the scene of a long-running land dispute and located within walking distance of the sacred flashpoint sites.
Jordan warns Israel of “barbaric” attacks on mosque: statement
Jordan on Sunday urged Israel to stop what it called “barbaric” attacks on worshipers at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque and said it would increase international pressure.
“What the Israeli police and special forces are doing, from rape against the mosque to attacks on the faithful, is barbaric [behaviour] this is rejected and condemned, ”the government said in a statement.
Jordan, who has custody of Muslim and Christian sites in Jerusalem, said Israel should respect the faithful and international law that protects Arab rights.
Israeli forces stormed Al-Aqsa and fired rubber-coated bullets, tear gas and stun grenades at protesters on Friday evening and wounded more than 200 Palestinians.