Authorities on Sunday morning succeeded in evicting an Arab family living illegally in a home near Kever Shimon HaTzaddik in what is referred to as the eastern area of Yerushalayim. The move was made possible after the Supreme Court supported the eviction, after scrutinizing documentation proving Jewish ownership of the home.

A number of arrests were made, primarily left-wing Jews who sought to stop the move, advocating on behalf of the Arab squatters. Later in the day, several tens of Arabs gathered in the area, but police are maintaining a visible presence, expecting a flare-up at any time.

The eviction is a major success as efforts to liberate the area, the Shimon HaTzaddik neighborhood of the capital from Arab occupation continue. Homes are being purchased legally, at an extremely high cost, and one-by-one, the area is being returned to its Jewish roots.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)