Israel forces relocation of additional Palestinian families in East Jerusalem area

Dozens of Palestinian Families Displaced from East Jerusalem Homes

At least 11 Palestinian families have been forced out of their homes in the Batn al-Hawa area of Silwan, just south of Jerusalem’s Old City and the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Israeli human rights group B’Tselem reported that workers wearing orange vests removed the families’ belongings from their homes on Wednesday.

The Norwegian Refugee Council stated that the homes are expected to be transferred to Ateret Cohanim, an Israeli settler organization. According to B’Tselem, over 1,000 Palestinians in East Jerusalem are at risk of forced eviction. The group also reported that tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced across the West Bank since the war on Gaza began.

Silwan has faced years of pressure from Israeli authorities and groups pushing to expand illegal settlements in the area. In early January, Israel’s Supreme Court rejected a final appeal from more than two dozen Palestinian families in Batn al-Hawa, challenging their looming eviction. B’Tselem stated that approximately 90 families – totaling 700 people – in Batn al-Hawa face an imminent threat of forced displacement alongside another 1,500 people from 150 families in Silwan’s al-Bustan area.

The Israeli government has enacted a law granting Jews exclusive rights to reclaim property allegedly owned prior to 1948. B’Tselem noted that this law is used to justify the eviction cases. The group stated that these measures are designed to expand Israeli presence and control over one of the most politically and religiously sensitive areas in the region.

The displacement of Palestinian families in East Jerusalem has been ongoing, with at least 1,052 Palestinians killed by Israeli settlers and troops in the West Bank between October 2023 and January this year, according to United Nations figures.

Source: Al Jazeera