Israeli Authorities Issue Demolition Orders in East Jerusalem Silwan Neighborhood
Israeli authorities have issued demolition orders to Palestinian residents in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem. Human rights groups report that the pace of these orders has increased since the start of the war with Iran.
NprN. experts. Fakhri Abu Diab, 62, has lived on the same property in Silwan all his life. Two years ago Israeli authorities demolished the house on the property, citing a lack of proper building permits. Abu Diab and his wife now live in a small trailer in the courtyard.
Abu Diab says he has received a new eviction notice from the Jerusalem municipality. He states that the authorities want to use the land for parking and gardens for Israeli settlers.
Residents and human rights groups say Palestinians in the area face difficulty obtaining building permits. This has led many to build without permits, according to the groups. B'Tselem reports that 48 homes have been demolished in the al-Bustan area of Silwan since 2023.
The group says 1,450 people in that area now face expulsion. N. human rights experts say actions to remove Palestinian families from East Jerusalem amount to ethnic cleansing. Israel denies the accusation.
Settler houses have been built in areas cleared by demolitions. Israeli flags fly above homes surrounded by protective walls and gates. Arieh King, a deputy mayor of Jerusalem, rejects claims of ethnic cleansing. He alleges that Palestinians were living in homes purchased by Jews before 1948.
Yonatan Mizrachi, an Israeli archaeologist with Peace Now, says Israel uses evidence of historical Jewish presence to justify settler movement into the area. He says the City of David National Park excavation pushes a specific Jewish narrative. A plaque at the City of David site dated October 2020 states that the location brings to life biblical Jerusalem.
