JERUSALEM, Thursday, January 13, 2022 (WAFA) – British Consul General Diane Corner Wednesday stated that forced evictions of Palestinian families from East Jerusalem are of serious concern for the UK government.
The UK Consulate General said in a statement that Corner made this statement as she joined a number of diplomats for a visit to Um Haroun in East Jerusalem on Tuesday. In the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, Palestinian residents face the threat of eviction, with 300 Palestinian Jerusalemites in Um Haroun at risk of eviction by Israeli authorities.
The visit of the British Consul General in Jerusalem provided the opportunity to hear more about the current challenges facing the residents and was a reminder of the ongoing threats to stability in East Jerusalem.
Corner met with representatives of Sheikh Jarrah local community, led by Mohammad Kiswani and visited a Palestinian family facing imminent threat of home demolition. The UK, in cooperation with the NRC and other local NGOs, is supporting individual cases in this threatened community.
During her visit, Corner said: "The UK government considers East Jerusalem as occupied territory. The threat of eviction faced by Palestinian families in East Jerusalem and on other parts of the West Bank is of serious concern for the UK Government. Evictions are illegal under international humanitarian law. They cause unnecessary suffering and they only serve to fuel tensions on the ground."
“This visit reaffirms the UK's commitment to Palestinian presence in East Jerusalem and sends a message of support to those facing eviction,” the statement concluded.
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