JERUSALEM, December 16, 2024 (WAFA) - The General Secretariat of the Popular National Conference for Jerusalem (PNCJ) condemned, in a statement, the recent wave of home demolitions carried out by Israeli authorities across Jerusalem, describing them as a massacre targeting peaceful homes under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
In a statement issued on Monday, the PNCJ stressed that these demolitions are part of Israel’s attempts to Judaize and Israelize the city of Jerusalem and displace Palestinians from their homes, neighborhoods and villages, including Anata, Silwan, and Issawiya.
The PNCJ emphasized that Jerusalemites will remain steadfast in their homes despite the arbitrary policies of the occupation.
The organization called for urgent and large-scale Palestinian efforts to counter these actions. It also criticized the Israeli authorities for refusing to grant building permits to Palestinians under the pretext of “lacking structural plans,” while imposing exorbitant fees for permits, effectively making them inaccessible.
Earlier Monday, Israeli forces carried out a large-scale demolition operation in the neighborhoods of Silwan and Anata in East Jerusalem, demolishing 14 homes, a storage facility and a car lot.
In Silwan’s Al-Bustan neighborhood, Israeli forces destroyed eight homes belonging to three Palestinian families. Five other homes, which were built in the 1990s and housed 15 residents, were also demolished.
Israeli bulldozers also demolished a warehouse and a car lot belonging to a Palestinian family in Silwan.
In the nearby Anata neighborhood, six homes belonging to two Palestinian families were demolished by Israeli forces. These homes were part of a Bedouin community that has lived in the area for over a decade.
According to the sources, the demolitions in Silwan are part of Israel's ongoing plan to make room for the so-called "King's Garden" project. Despite submitting alternative plans for housing, the Jerusalem municipality has continued to reject Palestinian proposals, insisting on clearing the area for Israeli-controlled development.
T.R.
