'A race against time': Jerusalem's Silwan faces escalating Israeli expulsions Submitted by Mera Aladam on Sat, 01/10/2026 - 22:21 Palestinian families are being displaced as settlement expansion and demolition orders intensify, activists warn Fakhri Abu Diab, a local activist and resident of Silwan, located in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem, stands beside the rubble of his demolished home (Provided) Off With each home demolished by Israeli forces in occupied East Jerusalem’s Silwan neighbourhood, Fakhri Abu Diab is forced to relive the “indescribable” destruction of his own. The sight leaves him feeling powerless in the face of the steady expansion of settler takeovers in the city. “To see your life’s work, your children’s memories, and every detail of your life reduced to rubble in minutes creates a profound sense of helplessness and oppression,” he said. For years, Israeli settler groups, backed by government policies, have targeted Silwan, which lies directly south of Al-Aqsa Mosque. Israeli authorities routinely demolish Palestinian homes, while settler organisations use intimidation and legal mechanisms to take over properties from long-time residents. In 2024, Israeli bulldozers demolished Abu Diab’s home twice. “On top of this suffering and pain, the occupation and its municipality forced us to pay the demolition costs, leaving us in debt after losing the home that sheltered us,” he told Middle East Eye. “The shock has been, and continues to be, overwhelming for my family. “By demolishing our home, the occupation has deprived us of our memories, our history, and even our dreams for the future.” Abu Diab is a well-known social activist in Silwan and has for years led efforts to resist Israeli assaults in the neighbourhood. 'By demolishing our home, the occupation has deprived us of our memories, our history, and even our dreams for the future' - Fakhri Abu Diab, Silwan resident Earlier this month, a settler group forcibly expelled two families from their homes in Silwan, leaving dozens of people without shelter. Around 24 more families , comprising roughly 130 people, now face imminent displacement. Their removal forms part of a broader effort to expel some 2,200 Palestinians from Silwan. The campaign has been described by the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem as an “ethnic cleansing” effort by the government and the prime minister, affecting approximately 220 families. No permits Since the start of the year, Israeli authorities have targeted Palestinian properties across Jerusalem for demolition, including a school and several residential blocks. For decades, the Israeli government has relied on various justifications to carry out such demolitions. In Abu Diab’s case, his home was destroyed on the grounds that it lacked a building permit - a requirement he says is “virtually impossible” for Palestinians to meet. Although the official reason was planning violations, the Silwan resident believes he was singled out for his activism against Israeli settlement projects and the forced displacement of Palestinians. Palestinian academic and researcher on Israeli affairs Muhammad Halsa told MEE that authorities are “intensifying” permit procedures, including by raising costs and demanding extensive legal documentation. “Demolitions are sometimes carried out on security grounds,” he said, “targeting families whose members take part in resistance activities or belong to political organisations.” In early November, Israeli bulldozers tore down Abu Diab's home for a second time in 2024 (Provided) One of the few ways to delay demolition is through the courts, often with support from civil society groups. Even then, the process is costly and time-consuming. Halsa said securing a permit for a 100-square-metre flat can cost around $100,000 or more. Even when permits are sought, Israeli courts ultimately serve state interests, according to political analyst Firas Yaghi. “As the saying goes: ‘If your adversary is the judge, to whom can you complain?’” he told MEE. Meanwhile, Israel’s separation wall continues to constrict daily life for Palestinians in East Jerusalem. Halsa noted that neighbourhoods in the city located outside the roughly 800km-long wall face reduced access to the legal system. “In one stroke of the pen,” he said, “Israel strips tens of thousands of Palestinians of their Jerusalem residency rights under the pretext that they live beyond the separation wall.” Judaisation According to Yaghi, Israel’s policy since its occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967 has been to forcibly displace Palestinians from Silwan as a form of collective punishment and depopulation, in favour of Jewish settlers. He told MEE that the policy confines Palestinians in East Jerusalem to increasingly limited areas and prevents natural urban expansion. Only about 13 percent of the land, he said, is zoned for Palestinian construction. “This is known to Israelis as the City of David,” Yaghi said. “It is therefore considered a holy site where Jews must be present.” He added that plans are in place to demolish up to 45,000 Palestinian homes as part of what he described as the Judaisation of Jerusalem - a process Palestinians say aims to replace the city’s Palestinian identity with a Jewish one. Abu Diab said conditions on the ground point to a rapid escalation in illegal settlements, demolition orders and Judaisation efforts. “There is a race against time to impose a new reality,” he said, warning that without a “strong international legal and political stance, and genuine protection” for Jerusalem’s residents, Israel would continue to press ahead. Fakhri Abu Diab stands next to his wife after their home in Silwan was demolished by Israeli forces (Provided) Halsa criticised the international community, saying it had become “meaningless” following the actions of US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Yaghi echoed the criticism, describing the international community as one of “double standards” that treats Israel as “a state above the law”. Abu Diab said the destruction of Silwan was not merely about “houses of stone”, but about families, roots and the identity of an entire city. “My message to the world: don’t just stand by and watch,” he said. “We need real protection for our right to live on our land, and an end to the policy of collective punishment that we pay for every day.” Occupation News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0