The Israeli occupation authorities have issued immediate demolition orders for 14 homes in the al-Bustan neighbourhood of Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, under the pretext of “unauthorised construction”. This comes as part of a broader plan to Judaise the area and convert it for settler use.
This escalation poses a direct threat to Palestinians’ housing and property rights and constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law, which prohibits the forced displacement of civilians from their land and homes—regardless of administrative or municipal justifications.
Approximately 1,500 residents live in al-Bustan across 120 homes, with over 80% of these properties facing demolition orders under the so-called “Kaminitz Law”, including homes whose owners had previously paid fines to regularise their status.
The neighbourhood forms the southern defensive belt of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and any infringement on it directly affects the legal and historical status of the holy city. It underscores the occupation’s systematic policy of altering the demographic landscape in favour of settlers and imposing full geographic control around Al-Aqsa.
The recent escalation demonstrates a continued policy of land confiscation—ostensibly for “gardens and car parks”—road closures, military checkpoints, settler harassment, arbitrary arrests, and restrictions on civil and journalistic activities.
Since October 2023, more than 35 homes have already been demolished in the neighbourhood, amid repeated efforts to intimidate residents and enforce a permanent colonial reality.
These demolition orders are part of a series of violations of fundamental rights, including the right to adequate housing, the right to property, and the right to life—all protected under international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions, which explicitly prohibit forced displacement or the confiscation of property from civilians under occupation.
This policy carries severe humanitarian consequences, leaving families homeless and at risk of losing their basic means of survival, in clear violation of the principles of international civilian protection in armed conflicts.
