In the latest Amnesty Urgent Action letter, the TRU Students’ Union has called upon Gideon Sa’ar, the Foreign Minister of Israel, to halt the forced eviction of Saleh Diab and his family. The letter urges the minister to prevent their displacement and protect them from facing the dire circumstances of being left unhoused in East Jerusalem.
“It is heartbreaking to see families in East Jerusalem face eviction while settlers are welcomed in their place. Writing this letter is about ensuring their rights are protected and their voices are heard,” said Sydney Mattis, Equity Committee Member at Large.
The Diab family lives in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, where Palestinian residents have long faced targeted forced evictions. Earlier this year, they received an order demanding they leave their home. In February 2025, the family appealed to the government, but their request was denied by the Israeli District Court. Their eviction is being pursued by a settler organization, Nachalat Shimon, which aims to take possession of the Diab family’s home, along with others in the area. If carried out, the eviction would strip the family of secure and adequate housing and leave them vulnerable on the streets.
The case of the Diab family reflects a much larger pattern in East Jerusalem, where many Palestinian families are being threatened with removal. These evictions displace entire households, undermine their basic human rights, and violate international human rights law, including the right to adequate housing. By allowing settlers to replace Palestinian families, the Israeli government is enforcing policies that discriminate and erode equality for residents of East Jerusalem.
“I sincerely hope that the foreign minister will respond by allowing the Diab family to remain in their home and by ending the broader practice of forced evictions,” said Mattis.
We await a response from the Foreign Minister of Israel on this urgent matter.
For More Information
The Amnesty Urgent Action Program allows the Union to take action regarding international human rights injustices that matter to students. Click this link to see injustices we have addressed previously, and for further information about this issue or to see a copy of the letter, contact the Equity Coordinator below.