"They want to take our land and make car parks and gardens for the settlers."
East Jerusalem's Silwan neighborhood has experienced a series of home demolitions by Israeli authorities, affecting hundreds of Palestinian families. The demolitions are part of ongoing efforts that residents and human rights groups say aim to displace Palestinians to make way for Israeli settlers and archaeological sites.
Ground-Level Reality
Fakhri Abu Diab, 62, had his family home demolished two years ago for lacking building permits. He now lives in a trailer on the property and faces a new eviction order. "I want to be close to my memories, to my home, and they said it's not allowed," he said.
According to B'Tselem, 48 homes have been demolished in the al-Bustan area of Silwan since 2023, with 1,450 people facing expulsion. Residents report difficulty obtaining building permits from the Jerusalem municipality, leading to unpermitted construction.
The Legal and Political Context
Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in 1967 and later annexed it, a move not recognized by most countries. The International Court of Justice in 2024 issued an advisory opinion that Israel's occupation of East Jerusalem and the West Bank is unlawful; Israel disputes this.
Israeli human rights organization B'Tselem and UN experts have accused Israel of ethnic cleansing in East Jerusalem and the West Bank — a charge rejected by Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Arieh King.
Competing Narratives
- Arieh King (Deputy Mayor) dismissed claims of ethnic cleansing as antisemitic hypocrisy, alleging Palestinians are "Arab squatters" on properties purchased by Jews before 1948.
- Sarit Michaeli (B'Tselem) described a "very dubious, discriminatory and rigged legal system" enabling the "Judaization" of Silwan.
- Yonatan Mizrachi (Peace Now) said archaeology is used to justify settler claims by highlighting historical Jewish presence.
Omar Abu Rajab, whose home is partially demolished, voiced a profound sense of helplessness: "My heart is broken. It is extremely hard. But I can do nothing. We have complained to the whole world."