In April, 2021, Israeli courts kicked out several Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem.  Israeli courts have no legal authority in occupied East Jerusalem, under international law. The homes were given to Israeli settlers who claimed they had a legal right to the land. Palestinians protested and were met with arrests and crackdowns. 

When Ramadan began in mid-April, Israeli forces began limiting the movement of Palestinians  and hindering their access to the Old City and Al Aqsa. Again, Palestinians protested and were met with violent crackdowns. Hundreds of Palestinians and several Israeli soldiers were injured.

In early May, Israeli forces, saying they were responding to stones thrown towards the Western Wall, stormed Al Aqsa mosque three times, shooting worshipers with sponge-tipped bullets and gas canisters. Hamas, the party ruling the besieged Gaza strip, sent Israel a warning that it would retaliate if Israeli forces did not leave Al Aqsa compound by 6 pm earlier this week. When the deadline was not met, Hamas launched a barrage of rockets into Israel, killing two. Israel responded by striking Gaza, killing over 20, including 9 children. 

Since then the rocket attacks and airstrikes have escalated. Several Israelis and dozens of Palestinians have been killed. China reiterated its support for the establishment of an independent and fully sovereign state of Palestine based on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

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