On Thursday, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom urged Israel to suspend the construction of new settlements in the occupied West Bank. The joint statement came at a time of rising tensions in East Jerusalem, ahead of a court session that could lead to the expulsion of Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, where Jewish settlers, supported by an Israeli court ruling, have taken over some homes.
The European countries stated in a joint statement, "We urge the Israeli government to reconsider its decision to proceed with the construction of 540 settlement units in Har Homa in the occupied West Bank and to halt the settlement expansion policy throughout the occupied Palestinian territories." The statement added, "If this decision to build settlements in Har Homa between East Jerusalem and Bethlehem is carried out, it will cause further harm to the prospects of establishing a viable Palestinian state with Jerusalem as the capital of both the Israeli and Palestinian states."
Israel considers the entire city of Jerusalem its capital, a position that has not received international support. In Sheikh Jarrah, nighttime clashes occurred during Ramadan between settlers and Palestinians living in the street that may witness the expulsions. The area was closed on Thursday night after Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right Israeli lawmaker, set up an office outside one of the settlers' homes. He stated, "I came here because children and women are attacked every evening." After his remarks, clashes broke out between Palestinians and Israeli police, resulting in the arrest of 15 individuals.
A Reuters reporter observed a car ablaze near a home taken over by settlers on a back street near the potential eviction site. The police confirmed that the car belonged to an Israeli. Among the Palestinian youth gathered nearby was 17-year-old Mohammed Abu Sanina, who said he did not know who set the car on fire but wanted the settlers to leave. He remarked, "This land is ours. Why do they want to displace us from it?"
