❗️‘A New Nakba in Jerusalem’: Israel is accelerating the destruction of Silwan to encircle Al-Aqsa with settlements and biblical parks

A detailed report by Middle East Eye says Israel has sharply intensified home demolitions in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan in occupied East Jerusalem, particularly in Al-Bustan, just south of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Since October 2023, at least 54 homes have been demolished there alone, with most of the remaining houses now under threat. Residents warn that nearly 20,000 Palestinian homes across Jerusalem are currently under demolition orders.

The demolitions are designed to clear Palestinians from strategic neighborhoods surrounding Al-Aqsa and replace them with settler compounds and biblical-themed tourist parks such as the “King’s Garden” and the “City of David.” Al-Bustan, home to around 1,500 Palestinians, is seen as crucial to linking settler enclaves in Silwan and integrating them into what Israeli authorities seek to normalize as part of West Jerusalem.

According to researchers and residents cited by Middle East Eye, the process is not about urban planning but about reshaping Jerusalem’s demography and erasing Palestinian presence.

Settler organizations such as Elad and Ateret Cohanim, described as functioning with extensive state backing, are leading efforts to remove Palestinian families through court actions, demolitions, and archaeological projects rooted in nationalist-religious narratives.

Palestinians say the world’s focus on Gaza has given Israel a free hand to accelerate what residents call a “new Nakba” in Jerusalem. “If there is no real action, there will be a new Nakba for the people of Jerusalem,” longtime Silwan activist Fakhri Abu Diab warned, saying the destruction of Silwan would sever Palestinian communities from Al-Aqsa and permanently transform the city around Islam’s third holiest site.

https://t.me/thecradlemedia/59344