JERUSALEM, February 1, 2026 (WAFA) – Israeli authorities issued immediate demolition notices for 14 Palestinian homes in the al-Bustan neighborhood of Silwan, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, under the pretext of building without permits. The move marks a new escalation within a systematic policy targeting the Palestinian presence in one of the most sensitive and strategic areas surrounding Al-Aqsa.
In a statement, the Jerusalem Governorate said that the homes slated for demolition shelter Jerusalemite families and are part of an Israeli plan to convert land in al-Bustan neighborhood into what the occupation authorities call "biblical gardens," in flagrant violation of property and housing rights. This threatens the future of approximately 120 Jerusalemite residents, amidst a continuous policy of encroachment on their lands and homes, some of which have stood for decades.
Despite this, homeowners have paid tens of thousands of dollars over the years in fines and penalties imposed by the Israeli municipality.
The governorate affirmed that demolition notices are part of a series of escalating measures against the Al-Bustan neighborhood. Last January, the occupation municipality notified residents of its intention to confiscate large areas of the neighborhood's land, including approximately 5.7 dunams on January 1st, and an additional 1.1 dunams on January 18th, under the pretext of implementing "landscape and parking" projects on land it claimed was vacant.
However, this land belongs to Palestinian homes in Jerusalem that were demolished last year, clearly demonstrating the "vacant land" policy used as a false legal tool to legitimize confiscation and impose a permanent colonial reality.
The Jerusalem Governorate affirmed that targeting the Al-Bustan neighborhood is part of a broader Israeli plan to Judaize Jerusalem, based on two interconnected axes: altering the demographic reality in favor of colonists and tightening geographical control over the area surrounding the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. It emphasized that the town of Silwan represents the southern defensive belt of Al-Aqsa and the historical guardian of its walls, and that any attack on it constitutes a direct attack on the historical and legal status quo in the holy city.
Approximately 1,500 Jerusalem residents live in the Al-Bustan neighborhood, residing in around 120 homes. They face a systematic and multifaceted attack, including the direct threat of demolition. Around 80% of the neighborhood's homes are classified as threatened with demolition and are subject to immediate demolition orders under the so-called "Kaminetz Law." This includes the renewal of fines for homes whose owners had already paid them before 2017.
The Al-Bustan neighborhood has also witnessed an unprecedented escalation since October 7, 2023. This escalation has included preventing prayer in the protest tent erected by the residents and subsequently demolishing it, as well as preventing media coverage and the activities of local organizations. More than 35 homes have been demolished since that date.
Furthermore, a systematic daily pressure campaign is in place, encompassing road closures, the erection of military checkpoints, arbitrary arrests, and the imposition of exorbitant municipal taxes. Settlers also play a semi-official role in harassing residents through photography, filing demolition lawsuits, and creating a constant atmosphere of intimidation.
In a related context, Israeli troops forced brothers Kamal and Karam Muhammad Abu Swei to evacuate their homes in the Wadi Qaddum neighborhood of Silwan on Sunday, in preparation for their forced demolition.
Local sources told WAFA that the two houses shelter 15 members of the Abu Swei family and are facing the threat of demolition due to the occupation's policy of imposing severe restrictions on granting building permits to Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem.
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