Robert Serry, the UN special envoy to the Middle East peace process, condemned the takeover by armed settlers of a building in occupied East Jerusalem on Thursday.

Two Jewish families, protected by Israeli police, entered the building, home to nine Palestinian families, with documents claiming that they owned the property. Israeli National Police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said police were examining the documents “to determine whether they are accurate or not."

Fatah Revolutionary Council Member Demitri Delani said many of the women and children refused to be evicted and remained in their homes with barricaded doors.

By noon, however, Rosenfeld said he believed there were no Palestinians in the home.

In a statement, Serry called on Israeli authorities “to remove the settlers from the property and restore the status quo ante.”

Citing this incident, and the destruction Wednesday of a number of Palestinian commercial structures on the outskirts of East Jerusalem, the senior UN official added that “These provocative acts come at a critical time in the international community’s efforts to move the peace process forward.”