JERUSALEM: Israeli forces have demolished the home of 18 families in Sheikh Jarrah, near East Jerusalem. Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Wednesday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck. The family was asleep then.
Six protesters were arrested. Eighteen Palestinians have also been arrested in solidarity with their families. Israel claims the building was demolished to make way for neighborhood schools. Witnesses said Israeli forces fired rubber bullets at activists and journalists who arrived at the scene.
The Israeli army first arrived to demolish the house on Monday. However, the family members threatened to set the house on fire and withdrew. Sheikh Jarrah is located within a kilometer radius of the Masjid al-Aqsa. Displacement of family members from occupied lands is a violation of international law and war crimes. An Israeli court is set to hear the case of Palestinian evictions from Sheikh Jarrah on May 23.
When millions fled the country after the Israeli occupation in 1948, many families were living in Sheikh Jarrah. There are 38 families living here, including their descendants. Along with this there are Jewish settlements. The move to evacuate Palestinians to expand immigration led to an 11-day war between Israel and the Palestinians last year.
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