Washington Condemns Evictions in East Jerusalem, Settlement activity

The U.S. is “extremely concerned” about escalating violence in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Saturday.

"We are also deeply concerned about the potential eviction of Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods of Jerusalem, many of whom have lived in their homes for generations. As we have consistently said, it is critical to avoid steps that exacerbate tensions or take us farther away from peace. This includes evictions in East Jerusalem, settlement activity, home demolitions, and acts of terrorism," he added.

“There is no excuse for violence, but such bloodshed is especially disturbing now, coming as it does on the last days of Ramadan,” Price said. “This includes Friday’s attack on Israeli soldiers and reciprocal ‘price tag’ attacks on Palestinians in the West Bank, which we condemn in no uncertain terms.”

The U.S. is also “deeply concerned” about the potential eviction of the Sheikh Jarrah, the spokesperson affirmed.

Furthermore, he called on Israeli officials to move to deescalate tensions and bring a halt to the violence, noting that the State Department is in touch with senior Israeli and Palestinian leaders to work on deescalating the situation.

He also urged the authorities to approach the residents of Sheikh Jarrah with compassion and respect, taking into account the complexity of these historical cases.

In the same page, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Vennesland urged all parties to "respect the status quo of holy sites in Jerusalem's Old City in the interest of peace & stability."

The UN has affirmed that Israel should call off any evictions and employ "maximum restraint in the use of force" against protesters.

At least 205 Palestinians were injured Friday evening as Israeli occupation police broke into the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, Palestinian medics said.

The police officers fired rubber-coated rounds and stun grenades at hundreds of worshipers attending night prayers at the compound, WAFA News Agency reported, adding that dozens of worshipers were also arrested by the attacking forces.

The police attack on the mosque compound sparked clashes with worshipers, and police shut down several gates leading to the courtyards of the mosque denying access of worshipers from outside of the compound to the holy site.