European Union flag
European Union flagiStock

The European Union (EU) on Wednesday condemned the eviction of an Arab family living in an illegal structure in Jerusalem.

In a statement, the EU warned, "The possibility of further evictions of Palestinian families from homes they have lived in for decades in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods of East Jerusalem poses the risk of fueling tensions on the ground."

"The EU urges Israel not to proceed" with the "Lower Aqueduct Plan" which would include the construction of over 1,450 housing units in Jerusalem, between the neighborhoods of Har Homa and Givat Hamatos. Such a plan, the EU said, "would further undermine the possibility of Jerusalem serving as the future capital of both States."

Instead, Israel should "halt all settlement activities," the statement said.

It emphasized, "Settlement expansion, demolitions and evictions are illegal under international law. They exacerbate tensions, threaten the viability of the two-state solution and diminish prospects for a lasting peace."

"The EU stands ready to give the parties full support in opening the path towards the relaunch of the peace process as soon as possible," the EU claimed in conclusion.