Demolition Orders against 11 Palestinian Residences in Silwan

Picture 1: Threatened houses sites

Violation: issuing demolition orders against 11 Palestinian structures.

Location: Al ‘Abassiya neighborhood, Silwan, the Occupied City of Jerusalem.

Date: February 24, 2010.

Violators: Israeli Occupation Police, Israeli Occupation Border Police, Israeli Occupation Special Forces, and the Jewish Municipality in the Occupied City.

Victims: Al ‘Abbasi, Alshyoukhi, Alsalfiti, Alhaymoni, ‘Alqam, Miswada, Ghanim, Alsalayma, and Attawil families.

Picture 2: the demolition order issued against Palestinian
structures by the Jewish Municipality in Jerusalem

Introduction:

Residents of Al Bustan and Al ‘Abassiya neighborhoods in Silwan are living through constant nervousness and fear because of the Jewish Municipality in the Occupied City of Jerusalem decision that called for evacuating and demolishing 100 Palestinian houses that are inhabited by 140 Palestinian families.

1000 Palestinians are about to be homeless because of the plan put by the Municipality back in the 1970’s and is about to be implemented. Most of the houses included in the unjust Israeli plan were built even before the rise of the ‘State of Israel’ in 1948 and long before the Occupation of the West Bank including Jerusalem. In addition, some of the houses included in the colonial plan are 10 to 15 years old.

Details:

At 7:30 on February 24, 2010, more than 30 armed Israelis accompanied by some Municipality employees showed up in Silwan. The Israeli Occupation Police started distributing demolition orders either by sticking them on the houses gates or by breaking into the houses.

Picture 3: an overview of Silwan

More than 100 Palestinians are about to be deported:

The most recent demolition orders were issued against 11 Palestinian houses, if they were implemented, more than 100 Palestinians will become dispossessed. Riyad Attawil, one of the victims, stated to an LRC observer:’ at 7:30 in the morning, a group of the Israeli Occupation Police, Border Police, and Special Forces broke into my house. I was shocked to see those taking pictures and measuring the house. It must be known that the house and the storage were built in 1961 and that we have a valid construction permit that was issued by the Jordanian Municipality in Jerusalem. The permit is dated May26, 1962. 5 families that consist of 18 members are currently residing in the house’.

Picture 4: Attawil residence construction permit (issued in 1963)

Picture 5: Attawil residence schematics

The Target is Silwan as a whole, not only Al Bustan Neighborhood:

It has never happened that the Israeli Occupation Authorities issue such a large number of demolition orders in Wadi Hilwa and Al Bustan Neighborhoods in Silwan. This makes it clear that the Israelis are targeting the whole town and not only a certain area. The plan of constructing’a Jewish National Park’ in the Occupied City of Jerusalem cover the area starting from Gethsemane Church through Tantor Pharaoh and Al ‘Ein area to Wad al Rababa and Bir Ayyub areas covering the whole Al Bustan Neighborhood.

As for Wadi Hilwa Street, no traffic will be allowed there and the street will be paved likewise Ras al Bustan Street to the west of Silwan. All of these changes are part of the ‘Sacred Torah Parcel’ plan which is a prior step to controlling the surroundings of the Old City in order to take control of it.

The Israeli Occupation Government decisions of naming the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron and Bilal Mosqe in Bethlehem Jewish cultural places is part of the Israeli expansion plans by using power to set facts on the ground, the power of occupation that is condemned by the Geneva Fourth Pack.