The Surge in eviction of Palestinians and demolition of their houses led to suing Israel in International Criminal Court.
A few days ago, Israeli security guards wounded nine individuals and assaulted some reporters in Abu Tor, East Jerusalem. The offence occurred while, using the lack of construction permission as the reason, Jerusalem Council destroyed a two-story apartment belonging to a family.
Red Crescent announced that 15 people were left homeless as the result of the violent policy. Besides, six members needed to receive hospital care services following the attack. Thousands of Palestinian people face forcible eviction from their houses in the same region
A family with similar condition in East Jerusalem is suing Israel at the International Criminal Court. Last Thursday, the Salhiyehs faced eviction from their house in Sheikh Jarrah and their home was destroyed by similar Israeli state organization.
After Israeli officials sought to remove them from their place they had resided in for several decades, the Salhiyeh family conducted a protest on the top of their house. They threatened to explode the house while being inside.
Israeli security forces refrained from intervention in a curious policy. Israeli military police, nonetheless, postponed the attack to some nights later on a chilly and wet night. They detained the members abusing the children and women. The demolition left another 18 homeless.
“The police drove me past my destroyed home the next morning and showed me what they had done. We were not informed that the home would be destroyed,” Said father to the Salhiyeh family after release.
The regional planning board of Jerusalem Council authorized a development plan for the Sheikh Jarrah back in 1984. The nursery and other public buildings are new to the Israeli plot for the area. Besides, there are lots of space for these constructions.
International Criminal Court; A War Crime
Observers believe that Israel’s plan is to Judaize Sheikh Jarrah and East Jerusalem in order to increase the Jewish population. The Salhiyehs have been stubborn and intend to take Israel to the International Criminal Court. They also began a global initiative publicizing their cause and those of their compatriots suffering expulsion and house destruction.
The International Criminal Court might find that Israel must restore the property that was destroyed. It might also rule that top Israeli administrative authorities engaged in the destruction and eviction could be detained if they cross the borders. ICC also has the power to determine that any Israeli acts in the West Bank, amounting to human rights violations, come under the organization’s jurisdiction, allowing each settler to be sued separately.
“On Monday afternoon we held a Zoom meeting with our lawyers in London, Bindmans Solicitors, who are partnering with the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians [ICJP], in representing several other Palestinian families from Sheikh Jarrah,” a lawyer to the case told reporters.
Under global treaties, East Jerusalem occupation is definitely against the law. As per the Court’s Rome Statute 22 years ago, massive damage and expropriation of assets, not supported by military objectives and conducted illegally and willfully” constitutes a severe violation of the 1949 Geneva Conventions and is a war crime.
Violence have been rising in other parts of the region. Palestinian people are facing forcible eviction or have already been forced to leave their homes across the East Jerusalem. Israeli services assaulted Israeli and Palestinian peaceful protesters last week as they opposed the eviction and demolition of the houses.
A serious investigation by the International Criminal Court might not impede Israeli plans. It will, however, be clarifying for the public and might lead to worldwide intervention.
