The Envoys of the Middle East Quartet (from the European Union,
Russia, the United States, and the United Nations), have
expressed deep concern over confrontations between Palestinians
and Israeli security forces in East Jerusalem, particularly those
which began on Friday evening, and continued on Saturday night.
The UN Children's Fund noted that several Palestinian children
were among those wounded in the clashes.
The violence on Friday has been described as some of the worst
seen in Jerusalem for many years. Some 200 Palestinians and 17
Israeli Police were reportedly injured in fighting around Haram
Al-Sharif/Temple Mount. On Saturday, protesters reportedly threw
stones at police, who responded with stun grenades, rubber
bullets and water cannons.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Envoys said that they
were “alarmed by the provocative statements made by some
political groups, as well as the launching of rockets and the
resumption of incendiary balloons from Gaza towards Israel, and
attacks on Palestinian farmland in the West Bank”.
Imminent risk of eviction
The Quartet representatives went on to declare their concern
regarding the possible evictions of Palestinian families from
homes, in which they have lived in for generations, in two
neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem – Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan – and
their opposition to “unilateral actions, which will only escalate
the already tense environment”.
This is a reference to a court case involving several
Palestinians who face eviction due to a legal challenge by the
Nahalat Shimon settler organization. The risk is considered to be
imminent for four of the families.
The UN has called for on the Israeli Government to halt all
forced evictions and on Thursday, Rupert Colville, the
spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR),
warned that, if they take place, the evictions in the Sheikh
Jarrah case would violate Israel’s obligations under
international law.
Saturday’s fighting took place on Laylat-al-Qadr, the most holy
day in the Muslim month of Ramadan, after large numbers of
worshippers had prayed at the Haram Al-Sharif/Temple Mount
compound. In their statement, the Quartet
Envoys called on the Israeli authorities to exercise restraint
and to avoid measures that would further escalate the situation
during this period of Muslim Holy Days.
“We call on all sides to uphold and respect the status quo at the
holy sites”, the statement continues. “All leaders have a
responsibility to act against extremists and to speak out against
all acts of violence and incitement”.
The statement concluded with a reiteration by the Quartet Envoys
of their commitment to a negotiated two state solution.
37 Palestinian children injured and arrested
On Sunday, the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, urged the Israeli
authorities to refrain from using violence against children and
release all those children detained.
In a joint statement, Ted Chaiban, UNICEF Regional Director for
the Middle East and North Africa, and Lucia Elmi, UNICEF Special
Representative in the State of Palestine, noted that 29
Palestinian children have been injured over the past two days,
and a further eight arrested. “A one-year-old toddler was among
those injured. Some children were taken for treatment at
hospitals, with injuries in the head and the spine. This comes
amid reports that nearly 300 people were injured in the area”.
The senior UNICEF officials said that the agency had received
reports of ambulances being restricted from arriving on location
to assist and evacuate the injured, and that an on-site clinic
was reportedly hit and searched.
The statement called for all children to be protected from
violence and kept out of harm’s way at all times, for families’
rights to access all places of worship to be preserved, and for
those injured to be assisted without restrictions.
