New clashes in al-Quds’ Sheikh Jarrah as racist Israeli lawmaker returns

Fierce clashes have broken out between Palestinians and Israeli forces who were escorting a controversial far-right Jewish lawmaker and his extremist supporters in the flashpoint neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah of the occupied East al-Quds.

Palestinian residents took to the streets to protest the provocative return of Itamar Ben Gvir of the Religious Zionism alliance and his right-wing supporters who sneaked into the area, set up a makeshift office and hoisted an Israeli flag there, the Wafa news agency reported on Thursday. 

The scuffles broke out as the Israeli forces attacked the Palestinian residents and activists and attempted to forcibly disperse them from the scene.

Israeli forces have blocked off the western part of the flash neighborhood for the 12th consecutive day.

Last week, Ben Gvir opened a parliamentary office in the neighborhood in what was described as an effort to exacerbate the situation in the district.

Clashes break out as far-right Israeli lawmaker opens office in restive al-Quds neighborhood

Scuffles break out between Palestinians and Israeli police in the occupied East al-Quds neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, after a far-right Israeli lawmaker opened an office in the area.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates then condemned Ben Gvir’s step as a “provocative and escalating move that threatens to ignite violence.” 

The ministry said the failure of the international community and the UN Security Council to take necessary measures to compel Israel to stop its occupation of al-Quds encourages the occupying regime to forge ahead with its colonial Judaization projects in the Holy City.

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has already issued a strongly-worded message of warning to the Israeli regime and settlers after the latter renewed assaults on Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has censured the recent attacks by Israeli military forces and settlers against the Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah. In a statement released on Feb. 14, the 57-member body said Israel’s policy of Judaization of East al-Quds, its settlement expansion, and the forced displacement of Palestinian families stand in flagrant violation of international law and the Geneva Conventions.

OIC censures Israel’s hostile behavior in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood

The 57-member organization urged the international community to intervene for the good of the Palestinians.

The European Union has also demanded an end to violent clashes between Israeli military forces and Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah.

Sheikh Jarrah has been the scene of frequent crackdowns by Israeli forces on the Palestinians protesting against the threatened expulsion of dozens of Palestinian families from their homes in favor of Israeli settler groups.

Since Israel seized East al-Quds in a 1967 war, Israeli settler organizations have claimed ownership of land in Sheikh Jarrah and have filed multiple lawsuits to evict Palestinians from the area. Much of the international community considers the Israeli settlement structures illegal under the international law due to their construction on occupied territory.

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