East Jerusalem: Palestinians at risk of eviction

A mapping exercise carried out by OCHA indicates that at least 180 Palestinian households in East Jerusalem have eviction cases filed against them. Most of these cases were initiated by Israeli settler organizations, based on ownership claims, as well as claims that the residents are no longer ‘protected tenants’. As a result, 818 Palestinians, including 372 children, are at risk of displacement. This mapping aims at filling a longstanding information gap and to improve preparedness and targeted responses, both in preventive legal aid and post-eviction assistance.

In recent years, Israeli settlers have intensified efforts to take control of properties within Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem. This has led to restrictions on public space, residential growth and freedom of movement for Palestinians and resulted in tensions and clashes. Settler takeover of these properties exacerbates the coercive environment facing Palestinians and increases their risk of forcible transfer. The eviction cases exist within the context of Israel’s annexation of occupied East Jerusalem and the subsequent extension of its domestic legal jurisdiction to the annexed area. UN Security Council resolutions affirm that all legislative and administrative measures taken by Israel to alter the character and status of Jerusalem are null and void. (See, inter alia, Security Council resolutions 252, 267, 471, 476 and 478.)