Palestinian territories: a mixed verdict for the families of Sheikh Jarrah
The families of Sheikh Jarrah during the hearing held at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on August 2, 2021. AFP - AHMAD GHARABLI
Text by: Alice Froussard Follow
5 mins
In Jerusalem, at the Supreme Court, it was a hearing that many followed on Monday: that of the families of Sheikh Jarrah, a strategic neighborhood in East Jerusalem.
Four of them are threatened with forced eviction from their homes in favor of Israeli settlers, who claim to be the owners of the land.
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With our correspondent in the Palestinian Territories
,
Alice Froussard
The Supreme Court hearing was entirely in Hebrew, a language most Palestinians in
East Jerusalem
do not understand and there was no translator.
Then in the room, those who understood whispered, translated into the ears of others.
Muna and Mohammad al Kurd, the two twins, who became emblematic activists of the cause of
Sheikh Jarrah
, told it through lives or photos posted on social networks.
In a way, on Monday there was therefore more information on Twitter than in the room thanks to tweets from journalists, thanks to the media, to human rights activists translating the words back in real time.
This online follow-up, this social media presence is also a way for Palestinians to be present, supporting families by posting messages, re-explaining the context.
Many of them, on social media, also expressed their lack of hope for the final decision, confident that they expected nothing from an Israeli court, with Israeli judges, who would "
never
render
justice to the Palestinians
”.
“We are still in the courtroom.
We don't understand anything bc they speak Hebrew and there's no translation ”#Sheikh_Jarrah pic.twitter.com/9GSStpByNa
- Abier Khatib (@abierkhatib) August 2, 2021
Many reactions after the verdict
After the verdict, or at least the absence of a decision, the reactions have multiplied, because the solution proposed by the judges of the Supreme Court is a "
compromise
", where the families of Sheikh Jarrah can stay in their house, in condition of paying a small rent to settler associations. In exchange, they "
are not deported for a few years
". In effect, for the Palestinians, it is giving up their title deeds.
When leaving the court, in a live Instagram, Mohammad al Kurd explained that “
these settlers are not their owners and that in this compromise, there is no guarantee that they will not increase the rent or that the Jerusalem municipality will not not demolish their homes
”.
According to him, if the judges did not deliver a final verdict, it is in part because of media and diplomatic pressure.
Activists insist on "popular resistance"
The Palestinians are determined not to stop.
On Monday, many activists insisted on “
popular resistance
” because, as a tweet from the Adalah association, which brings together Palestinian lawyers in Israel, put it, “
justice has used the law as a weapon against the Palestinians
”.
Monday was also the start of another movement on social networks, absolutely linked to Sheikh Jarrah: "August Month of Action" with this hasthag to make noise about all Palestinian injustices.
Even though these activists know it, it will not be fixed overnight.
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To listen: The Israeli settlers, protected by the army, are reigning terror among the Palestinians
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