![Palestinians stage a protest in front of the Supreme Court of Israel after the court's postponed its decision on the objection of the Palestinian families on forced eviction in Sheikh Jarrah on 2 August 2021 [Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/20210802_2_49445001_67563877.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
The US State Department has urged Israel to refrain from evicting Palestinian families from the Sheikh Jarrah area of occupied East Jerusalem. Nevertheless, spokesman Ned Price told reporters on Thursday that the department believes that the proposal offered by an Israeli court this week is a matter for the Israeli and Palestinian parties to consider.
“We’ve said this just this week and many times before that: families should not be evicted from their homes in which they have lived for decades,” explained Price.” We have encouraged Israeli authorities to avoid evictions and other actions that exacerbate tensions and that undercut efforts to advance a negotiated two-state solution.”
Price declined to answer a question on whether any US diplomat had met or contacted the Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah to make any “compromise” in the case.
It was reported earlier this week that Israel has asked the US to put pressure on the Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah to pay rent to illegal settlers. This followed a court proposal for the families to accept “protected residence” status instead of ownership of their properties.
Israel continues to take over villages belonging to Palestinians in Jerusalem, displacing many from their homes – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]
READ: The international community’s tacit complicity in Sheikh Jarrah