RAMALLAH, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Palestine is in contact with several international parties to stop the eviction of Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem, a Palestinian official said on Sunday.
"The aim of leading the contacts is to stop Israel's measures to evict families from Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, and create international pressure on Israel," Ahmed al-Ruweidi, presidential advisor on Jerusalem affairs, told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
He accused the Israeli authorities of planning to completely demolish 22,000 homes in East Jerusalem, of which 250 were announced for demolition during the first half of this year.
Efforts to gain international attention on the issue "are important," al-Ruweidi said.
Sheikh Jarrah, one of the most prestigious neighborhoods in East Jerusalem that includes most diplomatic consulates, has witnessed tensions since last week.
Tensions have mounted against threats by Israeli authorities to expel several Palestinian families from their homes. ■
