Abbas ordered to submit files on “Israeli attacks” to the ICC
Official PA TV News, on the Israeli flag march in Jerusalem
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Advisor on Jerusalem Affairs Ahmed Al-Ruweidi: “The scenes in Jerusalem will remain as they are. We are in a battle in which it seems the occupation is implementing all the forms of attack against our people, and in which there is the same situation of resolve and Ribat (i.e., religious conflict over land claimed to be Islamic) that is being recorded by the people of Jerusalem who succeeded today in conveying their message to the world. Recently we attempted to create an opening for these residents who are being subjected to attacks to speak with the world. Therefore, Ms. Muna Al-Kurd, who is a resident [of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood] whose home is being subjected to threats of confiscation (refers to eviction notices to Arab families illegally living in Jewish owned properties; see note below -Ed.), spoke before the [UN] Human Rights Council. We held a meeting with the Dutch Parliament…
Regarding the Human Rights Council, as you know, we also issued an important decision according to which an annual report will be submitted on the Israeli attacks and the assaults that are taking place in the occupied Palestinian territories, including the Palestinian Interior (i.e., Palestinian term for Israel). This is an important development, because a copy of this report will be submitted to UN Secretary-General [António Guterres], the Human Rights Council members, and the International Criminal Court (ICC). We are still working with the ICC, because we submitted the Sheikh Jarrah and Batn Al-Hawa file to [ICC] General Prosecutor [Fatou Bensouda] in recent days according to [PA] President [Mahmoud Abbas’] instructions. Therefore, we expect important legal measures.”
[Official PA TV News, June 4, 2021]
The Sheikh Jarrah protests – Israeli courts have ruled that four Palestinian families living in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of Jerusalem are to be evicted because they are living illegally in properties owned by Jews who were expelled in the 1948 Israeli War of Independence. The Palestinian residents were offered to stay if they would pay rent, but they refused and instead appealed to the Israeli Supreme Court. In April 2021 the planned eviction led to clashes between Palestinian residents and Israeli police, which continued into May and served as one of the pretexts for further violent rioting during the Fatah/Hamas Riot and Rocket War 2021. A hearing scheduled by the Supreme Court for May 10, 2021, was postponed following intensified Palestinian riots and unrest both in Sheikh Jarrah and in East Jerusalem in general.