JERUSALEM, January 12, 2025 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation authorities delivered a demolition order today to the residents of Wadi Rababah area in the Silwan neighborhood, located just south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.

Local sources reported that staff from the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem, accompanied by Israeli police, stormed the neighborhood and handed a demolition notice to the Baydoun family.

The notice pertains to the demolition of a newly added section of their home, which was built on an old structure. The family was also fined for adding the extension without a building permit, a common practice under Israeli policies in East Jerusalem.

The sources further revealed that during their raid, Israeli forces confirmed that a local resident, Shadi Samreen, had demolished his own home, which overlooks the Al-Aqsa Mosque, two days ago. Samreen's decision to demolish his property was reportedly made under the pressure of the Israeli authorities' threats and the fear of facing exorbitant demolition costs.

These demolition orders are part of a broader Israeli strategy to alter the demographic balance of Jerusalem by displacing Palestinian residents and expanding Israeli settlements.

In recent years, Silwan has witnessed increased Israeli settlement activity, with settler groups pushing to take over Palestinian homes in the area. The demolitions and settlement expansions have led to ongoing tensions and protests, with Palestinian residents expressing fears of further displacement.

M.N