Five European countries call on Israel to abandon its settlement policy | Israel Palestine

Among other things, the five European countries are calling on the Israeli government to “reconsider its decision to build 540 new homes in the Jewish settlement of Har Homa on the occupied West Bank.” They stressed that the decision to expand settlements in Har Homa “comes in addition to the accelerated colonization in Givat Hamatos and the ongoing displacement operations in East Jerusalem, especially in Sheikh Jarrah.” “The settlements are illegal under international law and threaten prospects for a peaceful solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the five said. Finally, Paris, Berlin, London, Rome and Madrid call on Israelis and Palestinians to “abstain from any unilateral initiative” and “enter into a credible dialogue with each other until progress is made on the road to the two-state solution.”

The Israeli Supreme Court scheduled a new hearing on Monday in the case of Palestinian families threatened with deportation in East Jerusalem in favor of Israeli settlers. Meanwhile, support demonstrations take place regularly in East Jerusalem, and often involve confrontations with the police. Another demonstration will be held Thursday evening to protest the possible expulsion of about 30 Palestinians in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood near the Old City and a point of contention between Jews and Palestinians.