Israeli police dispersed a rally outside a court in East Jerusalem on Thursday in support of two Palestinian families facing evictions in the Silwan neighbourhood.

Three activists were arrested and scuffles broke out between demonstrators and security forces.

“No one will accept this eviction of Palestinians from Silwan or Sheikh Jarrah and say: take our houses. It is Palestinian houses and no one will accept ethnic cleansing. That’s why the American administration and the international community should intervene. No more ethnic cleansing at 2021. No more,” said one of protesters.

Later the court postponed the eviction case hearing.

Similar protests in the city’s Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood escalated into a major conflict between Israel and Hamas last month.