In the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, a profound humanitarian crisis unfolds as Israeli authorities accelerate property demolitions and settler takeovers. Fakhri Abu Diab, a prominent community activist, embodies this struggle having witnessed his family home destroyed twice in 2024 alone—each demolition compounding what he describes as overwhelming psychological trauma and financial devastation.
The architectural dismantling of Palestinian residences occurs under the justification of building permit violations, a requirement local residents argue is systematically designed for their failure. Beyond bureaucratic mechanisms, settler organizations employ both legal maneuvers and intimidation tactics to displace longstanding communities. Current estimates indicate approximately 2,200 Palestinians face imminent expulsion from Silwan, with 24 families comprising 130 people at immediate risk.
Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem characterizes these coordinated actions as government-sanctioned ethnic cleansing. The campaign extends beyond residential properties to include educational institutions and community infrastructure, fundamentally altering the neighborhood’s social fabric.
Financial burdens compound the trauma, with displaced families forced to pay demolition costs—often exceeding $100,000 for permit applications that remain virtually unattainable. The judicial system offers limited protection, with courts frequently favoring state interests according to political analyst Firas Yaghi.
Urban planning restrictions further exacerbate the crisis, with only 13% of East Jerusalem zoned for Palestinian construction. The separation wall compounds these restrictions, simultaneously isolating communities and providing pretexts for residency revocation.
This systematic displacement forms part of what researchers identify as the ‘Judaisation of Jerusalem’—a strategic effort to replace the city’s Palestinian character with Jewish settlement. Plans reportedly exist to demolish up to 45,000 Palestinian homes across the city.
Despite international condemnation, residents report accelerated actions on the ground. Abu Diab warns that without robust international intervention and legal protection, Israel will continue implementing these policies with impunity, permanently erasing Palestinian heritage from the city.