Palestinian displacement in East Jerusalem

[a] Many Palestinian families in East Jerusalem have been affected by "forced relocation processes or been involved in lengthy legal procedures to revoke an eviction order.

"[2] According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),[3] between a third to a half of East Jerusalem's houses do not have permits, potentially placing over 100,000 Palestinian residents of the city at risk of forced displacement and forcible transfer as a result of demolitions.

[b] The United Nations Human Rights Office urged Israel to call off pending evictions in East Jerusalem, warning that its actions could amount to war crimes.

In West Jerusalem the overwhelming mass of the wealthy Palestinian community, some 28,000, of which only roughly 750 (mostly Greeks and Christians) were permitted to remain, fled or was expelled and their property was ransacked, subsequently confiscated and distributed to Jews.

[11] At the same time, on the advice of the Haganah and with a subsequent recommendation by the British authorities, two small communities of Jews were evacuated from Sheikh Jarrah and, in compensation given homes in West Jerusalem that had been owned by Palestinians.

[d] On June 8, 2021, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged Israeli authorities to stop demolitions of Palestinian properties in occupied East Jerusalem.

[17] On 30 June 2021 a US Department of State spokesperson said "We believe it is important to refrain from any steps that may increase tensions and make diplomatic agreements more difficult, and this also applies to home demolitions".

[18][19] On 5 July 2021, a European Union statement concerning developments in Silwan and Sheikh Jarrah said that "Israel’s settlement policy is illegal under international law" and that "Unilateral actions taken in that context, such as forced transfers, evictions, demolitions and confiscations of homes will only escalate an already tense environment and lead to further violence and human suffering.

"[20][21] On July 28, 2021, Ir Amim Executive Director Dr. Yudith Oppenheimer briefed [22][23] the United Nations Security Council about displacement of the Palestinian communities Sheikh Jarrah, Batn al-Hawa and al-Bustan in Silwan, and al-Walaja.

[24] On 30 August 2021, Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland briefed the Security Council and stated "I urge Israel to cease the demolition and seizure of Palestinian property throughout the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in line with its obligations under international humanitarian law.

According to the EU, demolitions are "illegal under international law, serve no obvious purpose, have severe humanitarian effects, and fuel bitterness and extremism".

"[43] In the 1990s and 2000s U.S. philanthropy became more partisan, donating to settler organizations and donors recruited to acquire properties for Jews in Arab sections of East Jerusalem.