New ‘Nakba’ in Jerusalem: Israel steps up Silwan demolitions near Al-Aqsa

AI Summary

The demolition of Palestinian homes in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem has accelerated, with Israeli authorities reportedly targeting areas near Al-Aqsa Mosque. Residents express fear over the potential disappearance of communities amid increased military action and settlement expansion since the conflict in Gaza intensified.

New ‘Nakba’ in Jerusalem: Israel steps up Silwan demolitions near Al-Aqsa Lubna Masarwa on Fri, 05/08/2026 - 16:24 Palestinians say Israel is using wartime impunity to accelerate expulsions and expand settler-linked biblical parks, with at least 50 homes demolished since October 2023  A man watches as Israeli forces demolish Palestinian homes near the Silwan neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem on 22 December 2025 (Ammar Awad/Reuters) Off Pointing to the corner where he once shared tea with his mother, Fakhri Abu Diab stands amid the ruins of his demolished home in anguish. “I remember as a child going out with my mother to tend the land, then coming back to this spot to share a cup of tea,” the Palestinian father of five said, gesturing towards the shattered remains of what was once his family home. Located in occupied East Jerusalem's al-Bustan neighbourhood, the house was demolished by Israeli authorities in 2024. It was one of dozens of Palestinian homes razed in the area south of Al-Aqsa Mosque as part of plans to expand Israeli settler projects and biblical-themed parks.  “They demolished my childhood, my memories, and even the scent of my mother,” Abu Diab, a long-time anti-occupation activist, told Middle East Eye. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Al-Bustan is one of the three main sections of Silwan, a Palestinian district bordering the southern walls of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem’s Old City. For decades, Silwan and other Palestinian neighbourhoods surrounding the Old City have been at the centre of Israeli demolition campaigns and displacement efforts. North of the Old City, Sheikh Jarrah has been the focus of long-standing settler activity. In Ras al-Amoud, south-east of the Old City, hundreds of settlers live in heavily guarded, gated communities.  Years of Palestinian resistance and international scrutiny slowed the advance of state-backed settler organisations in these area.  However, since the genocide in Gaza began in October 2023, the situation has shifted dramatically. Fakhri Abu Diab stands amid the rubble of his home after it was demolished by Israeli forces in the occupied East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Silwan on 14 February 2024 (AFP/Ahmad Gharabli) (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Israeli authorities have accelerated home demolitions and expulsions across East Jerusalem, with al-Bustan among the hardest-hit areas, while also violently suppressing protest and dissent. Overall, an estimated 20,000 Palestinian-owned homes are under demolition orders across the city. Amid the mounting repression, scarce international support and little media attention, Palestinians say they feel increasingly defenceless. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); As Israel moves swiftly and with impunity, residents fear entire Palestinian communities could disappear not only in Silwan, but also in Sheikh Jarrah and Ras al-Amoud. It would alter the demographic landscape around the Al-Aqsa Mosque, leaving it encircled by a belt of settler compounds and biblical-themed parks, while separating it from Palestinian residents.  In al-Bustan, the scale of destruction is visible at every turn. Along the neighbourhood’s narrow streets, piles of rubble and flattened homes appear every few metres.  “I used to live here with my wife, my children, and my grandchildren. Ten of us lived in this house,” Abu Diab said. “The suffering is not only in the demolition of the house, but in the demolition of our past, our lives, and our future.” ‘Wiping out’ al-Bustan Palestinians in Silwan have faced systematic efforts to displace them since the area became a target for Israeli settlement expansion following Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967. Home to around 55,000 Palestinians as of 2022, Silwan lies strategically south of Jerusalem’s Old City and Al-Aqsa Mosque. The district is made up of 12 neighbourhoods spread across roughly 6,000 dunams on the steep slopes of the Kidron Valley and the southern ridge of the Mount of Olives. Among them, Wadi Hilweh, al-Bustan and Batn al-Hawa have for decades been the primary focus of Israeli home demolitions and forced displacement campaigns. Shortly after occupying East Jerusalem in 1967, Israeli authorities introduced laws that enabled the transfer of Palestinian property to Jewish ownership in the city, while also launching archaeological excavations in Wadi Hilweh. At the same time, powerful state-backed settler organisations began pushing plans to remove Palestinians from Silwan to expand biblical-themed tourist sites, including the “City of David” and the proposed “King’s Garden”. Since the early 00s, over 2,000 Palestinians in the three neighbourhoods have faced the threat of expulsion, either through settler claims over their homes or alleged building violations.  For years, however, the pace of expulsions and demolitions remained rela