The deadline set by the Israeli occupation municipality to demolish several houses in the Al-Bustan neighborhood of Silwan town, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, is scheduled to expire tomorrow, Sunday, under the pretext of building without a permit.

In early June, the Israeli municipality’s staff handed demolition orders to 13 families from the neighborhood, out of the 17 to which the Kaminets Law applies, and gave their owners 21 days to self-demolish them, or bear the costs in the event that the municipality had to send its crews and bulldozers to implement those orders.

Jerusalem families live in a state of great anxiety and fear, with the deadline approaching, and the implementation of the decision to demolish their homes and forcibly displace them.

At a distance of 300 meters from the southern wall of the Al-Aqsa Mosque is the Al-Bustan neighborhood, which extends over an area of ​​70 dunums, and is home to 1,550 people.

The occupation claims that the neighborhood represents a “historical cultural heritage of the Jewish people,” so it worked to Judaize its name and turn it into “King David’s Garden.”

The occupation seeks to demolish the entire neighborhood, in preparation for the establishment of a “Biblical National Park.” Its story dates back to 2005, when the occupation municipality issued a decision to demolish it, and began distributing demolition orders to its residents, under the pretext of building without a permit, even though its lands are privately owned by Palestinians and an Islamic endowment. .

Last March, the Israeli municipality rejected the neighborhood’s engineering plans, as well as freezing demolition decisions.

unknown fate

A member of the Silwan Lands Defense Committee Fakhri Abu Diab told “Safa” that the countdown to demolishing 13 of the 17 houses threatened with demolition in the Al-Bustan neighborhood has begun, with the end of the legal cover and the deadline set by the occupation municipality tomorrow to implement the demolition orders.

He explained that the occupation municipality asked the residents to self-demolish their homes within 21 days, but they refused to do so, and did not comply with those orders.

According to Abu Diab, an unknown fate awaits families whose homes are threatened with demolition, and that there are real fears that municipality crews will demolish these homes at any moment, and displace their members.

He added that there is a clear intention by the occupation municipality to demolish the entire Al-Bustan neighborhood, of which there are 100 homes, next August, in preparation for the establishment of a “Biblical Garden,” claiming that it represents “a historical and civilizational legacy for the Jewish people,” but it is a false claim.

He indicated that these practices are part of the so-called “Holy Basin” scheme, which starts from Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and the Old City all the way to the town of Silwan.

Abu Diab stressed that the occupation authorities are adopting misleading narratives and methods to prove their eligibility in Silwan and the city of Jerusalem, pointing out that the Al-Bustan neighborhood represents a cultural and historical heritage not only for the Palestinians but for the Arabs and Muslims, and there are no narrations evidencing the claims of the Jews.

He considered that this is an ideological policy pursued by the occupation authorities in order to expel the Palestinian population from Jerusalem, and to establish a belt of settlers and settlements in the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

He pointed out that all the neighborhoods of Silwan threaten expulsion and deportation at any time, as it is the southern protector of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the first line of defense for it from the plans of the occupation.

He stated that the Al-Bustan neighborhood is under great and dangerous threat from settlers and the occupation municipality, even though its lands are privately owned by Palestinians and an Islamic endowment.

Abu Diab warned, “If the occupation manages to demolish the Al-Bustan neighborhood, the demolitions will follow the rest of the neighborhoods in the town, so urgent action must be taken to stop at the highest levels what is happening against Jerusalemites and their property.”

mass movement

Regarding what is required to confront the demolition orders, the Jerusalemite activist stressed that the broad mass movement constitutes the safety valve and the main element in preserving our homes, and stopping Israeli plans, including demolitions, because the occupation fears the reaction on the Jerusalem street.

He pointed out that the mass movement and the steadfastness and steadfastness of Jerusalemites led to the postponement and freezing of many occupation projects in Jerusalem, as happened in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, Bab al-Rahma, al-Amoud and others.

He stressed the need for Arab and Islamic countries and the international community to support Jerusalemites in their ongoing battle with the occupation and its systematic, because the policy of displacement and expulsion is inconsistent with international law, and constitutes a crime against the population.

Abu Diab called on international and human rights institutions to use all official tools of pressure on the occupation to stop the demolitions and the displacement of Jerusalemites in Silwan and elsewhere.

And he indicated that the occupation is trying to destroy the psyche of Jerusalemite families before demolishing their homes, as part of the psychological war it is following in order to break their thorns and their morale.

The Kaminitz Law came into force in October 2017, after it was enacted by the extreme right-wing blocs in the Israeli Knesset, with the aim of “fighting unlicensed construction,” but its real goal is to fight Arab construction and demolish Arab homes, and to stop the expansion process. Urban for the Palestinians.

Based on this law, there is no legal path that can be taken to postpone or prevent demolition of homes built from 2017 onwards.