November 3, 2009

Jerusalem – Ma’an – Israeli settlers arrogated the home of the Al-Kurd family in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem on Tuesday, residents of the area said.

About 30 settlers were seen entering the house and throwing the family's furniture into the street. The settlers have refused to leave the building and Israeli police blocked members of the Al-Kurd family from entering the area. Witnesses also reported heated arguments between police and Palestinian residents.

Residents said the settlers moved into the house in violation of an Israeli court order issued nine years ago when Jewish organizations put forward a claim that they in fact owned the property. Two other buildings belonging to the Al-Kurd and Al-Ghawi families were also targeted in the claim.

Locals also said the court had ordered no one to enter one section of the multi-unit building because it was built without a construction permit.

In early August Israeli police forced more than 50 members of two Palestinian families from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah, allowing settlers to move in. The evictions went forward despite near-universal condemnation from the international community, including Israel’s closest ally, the US.