Act for East Jerusalem We as Scandinavians are very concerned about the developments in East Jerusalem. Israel is continuing a policy violating international law towards the Palestinian inhabitants of the area. We strongly urge our politicians to put pressure on the Israeli Government to end settlement expansion and annexation of Palestinian land and property. In the case of Sheikh Jarrah two families were recently evicted from their houses and are now in a status of refugee for the second time since the 1948 war between Israel and Palestine. The Ghawi family have been living in a tent in front of their own house since the forced eviction. Forced displacement affects Palestinian families in many neighborhoods of East Jerusalem, including Silwan and the Mount of Olives, which together with Sheikh Jarrah form part of the Holy Basin surrounding the Old City. From January to July 2009, at least 194 people, including 95 children, were forcibly displaced and another 107, including 46 children, were affected as a result of house demolitions ordered or carried out by the Israeli authorities in East Jerusalem. According to conservative estimates, there are currently over 1,500 pending demolition orders in East Jerusalem alone, potentially affecting several thousand Palestinian residents. We strongly urge our politicians to put pressure on the Israeli Government in accordance to the following statements (as recommended by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs): • Prevent the displacement of Palestinian families and communities by putting an immediate stop to forced evictions and house demolitions. • Facilitate the return to their homes of families that have been displaced as a result of forced evictions and house demolitions in East Jerusalem. • Protect the rights of Palestinian residents to land and property and ensure respect for international law, including human rights and humanitarian law. The petition will be send to the Scandinavian Foreign Ministers and relevant members of the European Parliament: Anna Ibrisagic, a swedish MP of the comittee for Foreign Affairs, [email protected] Heidi Hautala, a Finnish MP of the comittee for Foreign Affairs and the comittee of Human Rights, [email protected] Anneli Jäätteenäki, a Finnish MP of the comittee for Foreign Affairs, [email protected] Per Stig Møller, the Danish Minister for Foreign Affairs, [email protected] Jonas Gahr Støre,the Norwegian Minister for Foreign Affairs, [email protected] Alexander Stubb, the Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs, [email protected] Carl Bildt, the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs http://www.regeringen.se/pub/road/Classic/article/117/jsp/Render.jspa=70298&m=popup&l=en