Posted on October 14, 2020, by & filed under Lobbying, News, UK Specific, Webinars.


ICAHD UK is playing a prominent role in the campaign that calls on the Jewish National Fund not to evict the Sumarin family from their home in East Jerusalem. The next step is to provide a meeting with MPs and their researchers so that they can engage directly with some of the key players. We encourage you to contact your MP asking that he/she attend this meeting This event is open to the public so you can also register to hear the discussion.

Since occupying East Jerusalem in 1967, Israel has imposed policies to drive Palestinians from the city, including through home demolition, eviction and forced displacement. Amal Sumarin, and her extended family face eviction from the home they have lived in for decades. The eviction is being pursued in the Israeli courts by Himanuta, a subsidiary of the Jewish National Fund. JNF UK has charity status in this country.

The attempted eviction of the family has caused international outcry, including in the UK, with a cross-party group of 71 MPs endorsing Early Day Motion 529 condemning the eviction, and urging the UK government to uphold human rights and international law.

Amal Sumarin will be joined by Israeli human rights activist Rabbi Arik Ascherman of Torat Tzedek, Dr Yousef Jabareen, Member of the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) for the Joint List, and Richard Burgon, Labour Party MP for Leeds East. The speakers will describe why the Sumarin family case is of importance across all of occupied East Jerusalem and internationally and will set the actions of the JNF in a political and historical context.

You can check whether your MP has signed EDM 529 on this matter here.

The Israeli Embassy issued a statement claiming that the state of Israel has no part in East Jerusalem evictions, which is a disingenuous attempt to deflect responsibility. See our full response to this argument here.

View a recording of this webinar here.