Occupation notifies of demolition of 14 homes in Silwan to pass the Biblical Gardens project

On Sunday, the Israeli occupation authorities issued demolition notices for fourteen homes in the 'Al-Bustan' neighborhood of Silwan in occupied Jerusalem, demanding immediate implementation of the decision under the pretext of building without a license. This new wave of notices comes in the context of forced displacement efforts pursued by the occupation municipality against Jerusalemites in areas adjacent to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The Jerusalem Governorate clarified in a press statement that the targeted homes house about one hundred and twenty Jerusalemites, most of whom are children and women, who now face the risk of displacement after decades of stability in their properties.

The Governorate stressed that the pretext of 'lack of licensing' is merely a cover for a larger settlement plan, aiming to erase the Palestinian presence in the Al-Bustan neighborhood and transform its lands into what is called 'Biblical Gardens' to change the historical character of the city.

Intense tension prevails throughout Silwan with increasing fears that bulldozers will storm the neighborhood at any moment, while human rights activists view these measures as part of systematic 'ethnic cleansing'.

The residents of the neighborhood affirmed their attachment to their homes despite the threats, appealing to international and UN institutions to intervene urgently to stop this real estate massacre that violates human rights conventions and international humanitarian law.