LOD, August 16, 2026 (WAFA) — More than 70 families in the al-Mahatta neighborhood of Lod, in the 1948 territories, are facing the threat of eviction and demolition of their homes after receiving orders from Israeli authorities giving them short deadlines, in some cases no more than a week, under the pretext of “seizing state land.”

Residents said their families have lived in the neighborhood since before the establishment of Israel and that their homes hold nearly a century of memories. They stressed their refusal to leave and warned that the eviction and demolition orders pave the way for uprooting the neighborhood’s residents and taking over its land for the benefit of what is known as the “Torah nucleus.”

Residents said the measures are part of ongoing policies aimed at pressuring them to leave their homes in preparation for taking over their land. They rejected the demolition and eviction orders and called for comprehensive and just solutions that would guarantee their right to remain in their homes.

They noted that they have lived in the neighborhood for decades amid difficult living conditions and deteriorating infrastructure, saying the current measures come after years of neglect and restrictions.

One resident described what is happening in al-Mahatta as “ethnic cleansing” by the Israeli authorities.

He added that the neighborhood suffers from a “systematic policy of neglect,” despite being located in the central area and in one of the largest cities.

He warned that the distribution of eviction orders threatens to uproot residents from their homes, expressing concern that the measures could be aimed at establishing settlement units for the benefit of the so-called “Torah nucleus.”

Residents reaffirmed their attachment to their homes and their refusal to leave, calling for the eviction and demolition orders to be halted and for an end to policies threatening their presence and the future of the neighborhood.

K.T