Israeli settlers in Sheikh Jarrah barricade themselves in Palestinian home

Israeli settlers have steel-proofed a home belonging to the Al-Ghawi family of Sheikh Jarrah, while Israeli Knesset members stormed the neighbourhood with military protection.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab Staff

10 May, 2021

Israeli forces have been attacking Palestinians [Getty]

Israeli settlers have barricaded themselves inside a Palestinian home in the East Jerusalem suburb of Sheikh Jarrah to prevent the owners from accessing the building.

The Al-Ghawi family of Sheikh Jarrah have been battling to access their home since they were forced out in the middle of the night in 2009.

Resident Maryam Al-Ghawi has protested outside her home, which is covered in Israeli flags, on a daily basis since then.

On Monday morning, the settlers steel-proofed the windows of the occupied home to prevent the Palestinian owners from re-entering the building, according to Sheikh Jarrah resident Mohamed El-Kurd.

The harassment of the family continued as far-right members of the Knesset, accompanied settlers and Israeli forces, stormed Sheikh Jarrah.

Read also: Hundreds of Palestinians injured as Israeli forces storm Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque

Israeli forces set up metal barriers in the suburb to prevent Palestinian movement during the storming.

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Activist Muna ElKurd told The New Arab's sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the iron barriers were installed in the heart of Sheikh Jarrah, near the Al-Ghawi home.

The barriers prevented citizens from reaching their homes on the eastern side of the neighbourhood, with Palestinian residents attacked by Israeli settlers and police, ElKurd reported.

Israeli soldiers have also been instructed to keep live bullets and sound bombs at hand as they prepare for a major confrontation in the area, reported The New Arab’s Arabic-language television service, Al-Araby TV.

Pro-settler lawmaker and Religious Zionism Chairman Bezalel Smotrich warned against any resistance from Palestinians to the expulsions of Palestinian families from Sheikh Jarrah.

Dozens of Palestinians could seen be expelled from their homes in the suburb to make way for Israeli settlers.

Smotrich referred to anti-settler Israelis as "allies to terrorism".

"Whoever lends legitimacy to a supporter of terror... shouldn't be surprised when the terrorists revolt against the State of Israel," he said.

Smotrich claimed he and other Jewish extremists stormed Sheikh Jarrah a part of a "tour" of Jerusalem to mark an annual flag parade.

Al-Araby TV also reported that Israeli settlers will march towards the Damascus Gate at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Monday, in another provocative move.

On Monday morning, Israeli forces and settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, firing tear gas and rubber bullets at Palestinians who were holding a peaceful sit-in to protest against the ongoing violence at the holy site.

The Palestinian Red Crescent initially reported over 100 casualties, but have since said the amount of injured Palestinians has risen to 331.

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