EU calls for de-escalation amid clashes in East Jerusalem – KBC

The European Union on Saturday called for de-escalation in East Jerusalem after clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces left dozens injured.

The unrest in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem started last week over Israeli authorities’ plans to resettle 28 Palestinian families from the area. On Friday, violence also erupted near the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Damascus Gate. The Red Crescent said that 205 Palestinians had been injured in the unrest. Israeli police also reported injuries among officers.

“The European Union calls on the authorities to act urgently to de-escalate the current tensions in Jerusalem. Acts of incitement around the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif must be avoided and the status quo has to be respected,” the bloc said in a statement.

The bloc went on to urge political, religious and community leaders on all sides to “show restraint and responsibility and make every effort to calm down this volatile situation.”

“The situation with regard to the evictions of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah and other areas of East Jerusalem is also of serious concern. Such actions are illegal under international humanitarian law and only serve to fuel tensions on the ground,” the bloc stated.

For decades, Palestinians have been seeking recognition of their independent state on the Israeli-occupied territories in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip. Israel refuses to recognize Palestine as an independent political and diplomatic entity and continues to build settlements in the occupied areas, despite objections from the United Nations.