US Deeply Concerned About Tensions in Jerusalem – State Dept.

Washington: The US State Department voiced on Friday its concerns about Israel’s plans to evict Palestinian families from homes in a Jerusalem neighborhood and urged it to refrain from unilateral steps that may further enflame tensions.
Eviction plans in the disputed Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood led to violent clashes between Israelis and Palestinians in Jerusalem and threaten to spill over to the West Bank and Gaza.
“We are deeply concerned about the heightened tensions in Jerusalem. As we head into a sensitive period in days ahead it will be critical for all sides to ensure calm and act responsibly, to deescalate tensions and avoid confrontations,” State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Jalina Porter told reporters during a briefing. “It’s critical to avoid unilateral steps that will exacerbate tensions or take them further away from peace that included evictions, settlements activity and home demolitions.”
Porter expressed US concerns about “potential eviction of Palestinian families” and noted that many of them “lived in their homes for generations.” (Sputnik)

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