PALESTINIANS, INTERNATIONALS PROTEST EVICTIONS IN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JERUSALEM 001344 SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE AND IPA. NSC FOR SHAPIRO/KUMAR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PTER IS KPAL KWBG SUBJECT: PALESTINIANS, INTERNATIONALS PROTEST EVICTIONS IN SHAYKH JARRAH REF: A. JERUSALEM 1256 ¶B. JERUSALEM 628 ¶C. JERUSALEM 501 ¶D. JERUSALEM 161 ¶E. 08 JERUSALEM 2011 ¶F. 08 JERUSALEM 1509 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. The GoI evicted two Palestinian families from their homes in East Jerusalem's Shaykh Jarrah neighborhood on August 2, after Israeli courts awarded ownership of the properties to two Israeli organizations, Nakhalat Shimon International (NSI) and the Sephardic Community Committee (SCC). The homes were immediately turned over to settlers. These properties are among several in Shaykh Jarrah where ownership disputes have gone to the courts. NSI has submitted plans to construct 200 residential units in Shaykh Jarrah, but first must obtain title to all the properties and demolish the existing structures. The British Consulate General, the EU, and UN Middle East Envoy Robert Serry issued statements condemning the evictions, and the PA has publicly suggested it may raise the issue in the UNSC. End Summary. TWO EXTENDED FAMILIES EVICTED AFTER LENGTHY COURT BATTLE -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The Israeli Ministry of Justice's Office for the Execution of Verdicts evicted the Hanun and Ghawi families from their homes in East Jerusalem's Shaykh Jarrah neighborhood on August 2. These extended families comprise a total of 53 people, among them 20 children. According to Maher Hanun, head of the Hanun household, dozens of police arrived around 5:30 a.m. and closed the streets where the Hanuns and Ghawis lived. Police broke down doors to the houses and forced the families out. Sahar Vardi of the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions (ICAHD) reported that a member of the Ghawi family sustained a leg injury, and another a head injury, due to rough handling by the police. ¶3. (SBU) At about 8:30 a.m., the police escorted roughly 20 new residents into the Hanun house -- including men, women, and children -- and began repairing the doors. Ofer Lemor, head of the Execution of Verdicts team conducting the evictions, told PolOff August 2 that the locks would be changed and the keys turned over to the Israeli owners immediately, despite requests by Palestinians and by Israeli NGOs to keep the properties vacant pending further action by the Palestinians' lawyers. Lemor said police would stay in the area for several days, to deal with anticipated demonstrations. Vardi said that 200-300 protesters demonstrated in the area August 2, and approximately 40 stayed through August 3. Police arrested several demonstrators, including five AmCits. EFFORTS TO ASSUME CONTROL OF NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The evictions came after a complicated legal battle in which Israeli courts awarded ownership of the homes to Nakhalat Shimon International (NSI),on behalf of the Sephardic Community Committee (SCC). The Hanun and Ghawi families are two of 28 Palestinian refugee families that the Jordanian government relocated to this area in the 1950s, and up to 24 other families could face eviction. Additionally, NSI and SCC are currently involved in two other cases of disputed property ownership in Shaykh Jarrah, according to the Jerusalem-based NGO Ir Amim. In August 2008, NSI filed Town Plan Scheme 12705 in the Jerusalem Local Planning Commission with the intent to demolish the existing Palestinian homes in Shaykh Jarrah and construct 200 housing units. This would require NSI to gain legal title to all of the properties and evict the current residents. ¶5. (SBU) In addition to the cases involving NSI and SCC, Post is aware of other eviction cases in the courts. For example, at least one additional family in Shaykh Jarrah could be evicted if they lose their case, which is scheduled to be heard in court in October 2009 (ref D). Six Palestinian families in the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Bayt Safafa have been ordered to turn their homes over to a Jewish owner, based on a case where the original owner appears to have sold the property two different times. Husni Abu Hussayn, a lawyer for the Hanun and Ghawi families, told PolOff August 3 that he is still pursuing legal options to return some members of the families to portions of their homes, even if it means sharing residency with the settlers. JERUSALEM 00001344 002 OF 002 PALESTINIAN, INTERNATIONAL REACTION CRITICIZES EVICTIONS -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Palestinian officials -- including PLO Senior Negotiator, Sa'eb Erekat; Governor Adnan Hussayni; former Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, Hatem Abd al-Qader; and a Jerusalem PLC delegate, Bernard Sabella -- criticized the GoI for evicting Palestinian families from their homes, and some criticized the USG for not interceding to stop the evictions. Palestinians called the evictions an Israeli attempt to consolidate control over Jerusalem prior to determining the city's permanent status. The British Consulate General in Jerusalem and UN Middle East Envoy Robert Serry issued separate statements condemning the evictions, and calling on Israel to restore the homes to the Palestinians in order to foster a positive atmosphere for negotiations. President Abbas's CoS Rafiq Hussayni even suggested publicly that the PLO may pursue the issue in the UNSC. NEARBY PROTEST TENT DEMOLISHED -------------- ¶7. (SBU) In addition to these evictions, the Jerusalem Municipality demolished a protest tent on vacant land near the two homes on August 2. This tent served as the home of Fawzia al-Kurd, who was evicted from her nearby house in Shaykh Jarrah in November 2008 (ref E). Mrs. al-Kurd was in Jordan at the time of the demolition, and the tent was vacant. Stephan Miller, an aide to Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, said that the tent did not have the required permits. Mrs. al-Kurd's son said the family had permission from the Palestinian owner of the vacant lot to set up their tent. WALLES