New ‘Nakba’ in occupied al-Quds: Israel steps up Silwan demolitions near al-Aqsa

Palestinians say Israel is exploiting wartime impunity to accelerate expulsions and expand settler-linked biblical-themed parks in occupied East al-Quds.

Media reports indicate that Israel has dramatically increased the demolition of Palestinian homes since October 2023, when it launched its genocidal war on the people of the besieged Gaza Strip.

More than 2,000 Palestinians in three neighborhoods across the city now face the threat of expulsion, either through settler claims on their homes or alleged building violations.

Residents fear that entire Palestinian communities could be wiped out—not only in Silwan, but also in Sheikh Jarrah and Ras al-Amoud.

This escalation comes as Israel moves swiftly and with impunity to seize Palestinian land and private property.

For decades, Silwan and other Palestinian neighborhoods surrounding the Old City have been prime targets of Israeli demolition campaigns and displacement efforts.

Home to around 55,000 Palestinians as of 2022, Silwan lies strategically south of al-Quds’ Old City and the al-Aqsa Mosque.

Al-Bustan is one of the three main sections of Silwan, a Palestinian district bordering the southern walls of the al-Aqsa Mosque.

Residents and researchers report that Israeli authorities have demolished 54 homes in al-Bustan alone since October 2023, out of approximately 115 homes in the neighborhood.

Most of the remaining homes are now under threat of demolition.

Fakhri Abu Diab, a longtime anti-occupation activist, told media outlets that the occupying Tel Aviv regime’s policy of forced expulsion has shattered the dreams of him and his fellow Palestinians.

“The suffering is not only in the demolition of the house, but in the demolition of our past, our lives, and our future,” Abu Diab said.

His own house in the occupied East al-Quds’ al-Bustan neighborhood was demolished by Israeli authorities in 2024.

It was one of dozens of Palestinian homes razed south of the al-Aqsa Mosque to make way for expanded Israeli settler projects.

Israeli authorities have sharply accelerated home demolitions and expulsions across East al-Quds, with al-Bustan among the hardest-hit areas.

In the neighborhood, the scale of destruction is visible at every turn: along its narrow streets, piles of rubble and flattened homes appear every few meters.

North of the Old City, Sheikh Jarrah has long been a focal point of settler activity.

In Ras al-Amoud, southeast of the Old City, hundreds of settlers live in heavily guarded, gated communities.

Shortly after occupying East al-Quds in 1967, Israeli authorities introduced laws that facilitated the transfer of Palestinian property to Jewish ownership.

Years of Palestinian resistance and international scrutiny had previously slowed the advance of settler organizations in these areas.

However, since the Israeli genocide in Gaza began in October 2023, the situation has shifted dramatically.

Activists warn that these demolitions are altering the demographic landscape around the al-Aqsa Mosque—encircling it with a belt of settler compounds while severing it from Palestinian residents.

Amid mounting repression, scarce international support, and limited media attention, Palestinians say they feel increasingly defenseless.

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