Israel Prevents Jerusalemites Construction Permits, Expands their Houses Demolition

By: Madeeha Al-A’raj
The national Bureau for Defending Land and Resisting Settlements stated in its latest weekly report , that as usual, the momentum of demolishing of the Palestinian houses by Israeli occupation in Jerusalem and other areas of the West Bank is in increase under pressure of the ruling coalition parties in Israel, especially the ‘Religious Zionism Party’ headed by Smotrich, and ‘Jewish Power Party’ headed by Ben Gvir, and other influential parties in the Likud Party as well as the ‘Land of Israel Lobby’at the Knesset. Last Sunday, Israeli authorities notified 45 citizens of the Khallet Al-Nu man villageto demolish their houses under the pretext of not having permits, and to annex the land to the borders of the occupied Jerusalem. Headof the village’s council, Jamal Al-Darawi, explained that the village was built before 1948 on an area of 1,500 dunams, and has about 150 people in houses built of ancient stones.
The Khallet Al-Nu man village located southeast of Jerusalem, hundred meters north of Beit Sahour, where the first Palestinians settled there in 1930s. In 1967, after the occupation of the West Bank, Israel registered the villagers as citizens of the West Bank, but didn’t issue Israeli Ids to them, as is the case with most Palestinians living in the areas of Jerusalem and its surroundings that were later annexed by Israel. It continued to treat them as ‘illegal citizens’. Thus, the IsraeliOccupation Authorities prevented the villagers from staying in the neighborhoods and villages that were annexed to Jerusalem.
Moreover, the occupation municipality in Jerusalem refused to provide them with essential services, such as, water, sewage networks, and garbage disposal. The municipality also refrained from creating maps and plans for the village s structure, which prevented the citizens from acquiring building permits. Furthermore, the construction of the Apartheid Wall that the Occupying State built after the Al-Aqsa Intifada i.e. ‘the 2ndIntifada’, along the southern borders of the village, worsen the already deteriorated situation in the village that was isolated by the wall from the Beit Sahour city, and other villages and towns of the West Bank in an attempt to expel and displace its citizens.
These days, the village is not alone in facing the demolition, displacement and ethnic cleansing plans, but also citizens of the Silwan town. Last Sunday, hundreds of citizens of the town held a sit-in in front of the municipality in Jerusalem, protesting the policy of demolishing and eviction orders implemented by the occupation authorities against them. The sit-in was attended by activists from the Israeli left, as the participants raised banners denouncing the house demolitions and demanding to be stopped. During that sit-in, Murad Abu Shafe , a member of the Silwan Land Defense Committee, stood to confirm the citizens rejection of house demolitions, pointing out that there are 7000 demolition orders in Silwan.
As for Fakhri Abu Diab, a member of the Silwan Land Defense Committee, confirmed that the sit-in is the beginning of protests against the municipality s policy of demolishing houses and not granting building permits, saying,‘We came today to the municipality headquarters to send our message to the officials here that we need more building permits and to freeze demolition orders.’
Worth noting that, Silwan is a large town with a population of about 59,000 Jerusalemites of whom about 7,500 will be displaced by force living in 6 neighborhoods. They are either threatened with the demolition of their houses under the pretext of building without a permit´-or-with their expulsion in favor of Israeli settlement associations. According to the Jerusalem Governorate, the occupation authorities carried out 320 demolitions, including more than 87 in Silwan, between Oct. 2023 – Nov. 2024 . It explained that there are more than 30,000 properties in East Jerusalem threatened with demolition, which will lead to the displacement and inflict great losses on the lives of tens of thousands of Jerusalemites.
The Jerusalem Governorate estimates that there are 22,000 houses and facilities in East Jerusalem, 7,000 of which are in Silwan, where the municipality and the so-called District Committee for Building and Planning claim that they are illegal, and that a number of houses and facilities were demolished without notification´-or-without waiting for a ‘judicial decision’ regarding the demolition. The governorate stated that the Silwan town in particular is always targeted, especially the Al-Bustan, Wadi Al-Rababa, and Wadi Qaddum Neighborhoods by the occupation municipality so as to establish the so called Biblical Gardens and King’s Garden’ on the ruins of houses.
Noting here that the demolition notices the occupation authorities and municipality plan to implement are increasing from year to year. Before Oct. 7, 2023, there were 25,000 demolition notices in Jerusalem, while after that date the total number of notices increased by about 7,000, becoming 32,000 notices, after Ben Gvir received the entire file. In 2023, about 150 residential buildings were demolished, 70 of which were self-demolitions, while in 2022, 143 house demolitions were carried out, 71 of which were self-demolitions, and in 2021, about 181 house demolitions were carried out, 97 of which were self-demolitions.
This destructive policy is taking place under the ssing of the International Community. This is indicated by the OCHA’s data, which confirmed that the occupation authorities demolished 215 buildings in East Jerusalem in 2024, where more than 40,000 citizens were affected. Based on this data, the highest number of demolitions was in the Silwan town, where 41 buildings were demolished, followed by Jabal Mukaber, 34, Al-Walaja, 27, Al-Issawiya, 24, Beit Hanina, 17, At-Tur, 11, Sur Baher, 10, Ras Al-Amud, 9, Shuafat, 9, Wadi Al-Joz, 8, Ath-Thawri, 5, Shuafat Camp, 4, Beit Safafa, 3, Al-Zaim, 3, Bab Al-Sahira, 2, Bir Ona, 2, the Old City, 2, Al-Qanbar, 2, while the remaining demolitions were distributed in Jaba, Sheikh Jarrah, and Um Tuba. The data indicates that the number will rise to 402 if the Jerusalem Governorate area is included.
It is clear that the areas that witnessed the most demolitions are Anata, 47 buildings, Hizma, 23, South Anata, 18, Sur Baher, 15, Jaba, 14, North Anata, 14, Al-Zaim, 14, Biddu, 11, Rafat, 11, Nabi Samwil, 10, Qalandia, 10, Beit Anan, 7, Al-Jib, 2, Beit Hanina, 2, Al-Ram, 1, Qalandia Refugee Camp, 1.
This destructive policy was not-limit-ed to the Jerusalem city and its surroundings, but rather extended over a wide area to cover most of the West Bank, in a clear indication of the intentions behind the future of the Palestinian territories under occupation. Tens of thousands of new settlement units are being pushed into the Civil Administration’ circles to deepen the occupation and settlement and expand its geographical area, while demolition notices threaten the lives of Palestinian citizens under occupation. According to OCHA, the occupation army demolished 1,058 Palestinian facilities in Area C during 2024, including 192 inhabited houses, where the demolitions displaced 860 Palestinians and affected about 38,000 others during the same period.
The occupation government is aware that the policy of demolition, displacement and ethnic cleansing is inconsistent with the International Law and International Legitimacy, but it continues to do so in full view of the international community, as Article 25/1 of the International Declaration of Human Rights and Article 11/1 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of 1966 stipulated that ‘the demolition of houses is a clear violation of international human rights declarations and agreements that guarantee the right of the individual to adequate housing.’
Article 53 of the agreement also prohibits the occupying state from destroying any fixed´-or-movable property of individuals´-or-groups, unless military operations require it to achieve military objectives. International Criminal Law also considers the large-scale demolition of houses an unlawful act and a violation of International Law. According to Article 8/2 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, ‘the extensive destruction of property, not justified by military necessity, constitutes a war crime.’
On the other hand, the Israeli Knesset has approved in principle a bill to cancel the Jordanian Law in effect in the West Bank regarding the leasing and sale of real estate for foreigners, although the Knesset doesn’t have the authority to impose laws on occupied lands. The Knesset’s draft flouts all international laws that prohibit any action in occupied lands. The bill was supported by 58 members, and 33 opposed it. It will be referred to the Knesset Committee, which will set a date for voting on it later in 3 readings. Last week, the Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved a bill that allows settlers to purchase land in the occupied West Bank, in a manner that contradicts international law and opens the door wide to forgery of purchase contracts. It referred the vote on it to the Knesset General Assembly.
The bill was submitted by MK Moshe Solomon, from the ‘Religious Zionism Party’ on behalf of the ‘Land of Israel Lobby’at the Knesset, and was signed by 40 KMs. The bill stated that ‘anyone can purchase land in the Judea and Samaria area ‘the West Bank.’ The Ministerial Committee for Legislation discussed the bill mid-Nov, but didn’t decide to send it to the Knesset for a vote at the time. Notingthat currently, Israelis cannot purchase land in the West Bank -dir-ectly, except through companies registered in the Civil Administration’s Companies Registry, and a permit is issued for such a deal, under the military commander of the West Bank military order in 1971 allowing such deals.
The Israeli Peace Now movement warned that the bill is ‘another annexation move by the right-wing Salvation Front. The bill seeks to allow settlers to purchase land throughout the West Bank without surveillance.’ Adding that ‘the bill gives a small group of extremist settlers the ability to purchase land and then establish settlements there, whether in the heart of Hebron´-or-elsewhere. Otherwise, the Knesset has no authority to enact laws in an area that is not under Israeli sovereignty, while an Israeli attempt to impose a law enacted by the Knesset on an occupied area means annexation and a flagrant violation of international law.’
In its latest report, the Peace Now Movement reported that the Supreme Planning Council in the Civil Administration of the occupation army that run by the Minister of Finance and Minister of Settlement in the Ministry of Army, Smotrich, decided last Wednesday to advance a plan to build 682 housing units in 3 settlements namely: Halamish in the Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate, 531 units, Metzad in the Hebron Governorate, 126, and Peduel in the Salfeet Governorate, 25, and in Halamish, 531 housing units, which means more than doubling its population.
Adding that as since the beginning of Dec 2024, weekly discussions have been held to advance housing units in the settlements. The number of housing units advanced varies each week, but the advancement of 682 units for discussion in Jan 29, 2025, and that since the formation of the current Netanyahu government, record numbers of housing units have been advanced in the West Bank. In 2023, the Supreme Planning Council approved 12,349 housing units, the highest number ever compared to previous years, and 9,884 housing units were approved in 2024, notingthat the work of the Civil Administration under Smotrich has undergone a major change as the Supreme Planning Council now meets every week and approves 100s housing units at each meeting.
List of Israeli Occupation and Settlers Assaults over the
Last Week Documented by the National Bureau:
Jerusalem:
- Storming the Al-Khalayleh Neighborhood in the occupied Jerusalem, accompanied by demolition vehicles, carried out the demolition of a butcher shop, a restaurant, a supermarket, a glass shop, and a stone-making workshop. These facilities constitute a source of livelihood for about 30 Jerusalemite families, and have been in existence since 2004.
- Demolishing the Al-Taqwa Prayer Hall in the Sor-Bahir village, as the occupation municipality crews stormed the village, accompanied by police officers, and surrounded a building, then raided the upper floor where the “Al-Taqwa prayer hall” located, and demolished it.
Hebron:
- Attacking citizens houses in Khirbet al-Tuba in Masafer Yatta and burned a vehicle belonging to Ali Awad, and caused material damage to a number of houses and residences in the area.
- Handing over demolish orders of 3houses and a barn, two of which were inhabited, another under construction, and an agricultural barn, and gave their owners 7 days before carrying out the demolition in the Khallet al-Farra area west of Yatta town,.
- Handing over demolition orders of 7houses in the Idhna town in the western area, specifically in al-Ras and Wadi al-Bir, and gave their owners 7 days to evacuate them, after notifying them 2 months ago of the decision.
- Demolishing 4 houses and agricultural facilities in the area adjacent to the Negohot settlement, in Khallet Taha in the Dura town under the pretext that they were built on ‘State land’.
Bethlehem:
- Destroying large quantities of cauliflower crops in the Khalayel al-Loz area, southeast of Bethlehem, where they released a flock of sheep to graze on citizens’ lands, which led to the destruction of 5,000 plants, belonging to citizen Othman Abu Kamil.
- Bulldozing an inhabited two-story house belonging to the brothers Osama and Tayseer Hassan Musa Suleiman, which consists of 2 floors, each floor is 300m2 in the Tuqu town.
- Plowing agricultural lands estimated at dozens of dunams in the “Wadi Abu al-Hasan” area, west of the al-Khader town, adjacent to the settlement road leading to the “Beitar Illit” settlement and close to the “Sidi Boaz” settlement outpost.
- Demolishing a restaurant built 5 years ago on an area of 3 dunams in the al-Makhrour area in Beit Jala, belonging to the Jerusalemite citizen Mah’d Ali Musa Sari, under the pretext of not having a permit, the land was bulldozed and dozens of old olive trees, estimated to be more than 100 years old, were uprooted.
Ramallah:
- Attacking the houses of citizens in the Sinjil town, north of Nablus, belonging to citizens Abdul Karim Khalil, Rajih Ghafri, and Abdul Munim Farhan, before withdrawing from the area.
Nablus:
- Attacking citizens vehicles south of Nablus, threw stones at them on the road near the ‘Yitzhar settlement’.
- Assaulting the elderly Jawad Ghazal,71 while he was working on his land in the plain of the Sabastia town, attacked him with sticks, which led to his injury and sustained bruises., then he was admitted to the hospital.
- Demolishing an inhabited house in the Furush Beit Dajan village, belonging to citizen Sami Ahmed Abu Hanish, with an area of 120m2. They also demolished an agricultural room belomging to citizen Ameed Hajj Moh’d, and 2 agricultural ponds belonging to citizens Jasser Abu Jish and Adli Mustafa Abu Jish. They also notified the demolition of 7 houses in the village, noting that these houses were built decades ago inside the village. Handing over demolition order of a building in Mount Gerizim / Nablus for the Al-Khammash family, consisting of 5 floors, located on the top of the mountain.
Salfeet:
- Cutting down 30 olive trees belonging to the heirs of the late Ahmed Mustafa Asi in the Qarawet Bani Hassan town in the ‘Khallet Hassan area’ east of the town, stole 50 heads of sheep in the Mahfour area north of the town belonging to citizen Moh’d Abdul Aziz Marai.
- Demolishing a house belonging to citizen Jawad Yaqoub Hadrous, with an area of about 15m2 in the Deir Ballut town.
- Cutting down a number of olive trees west of Salfeet, vandalized agricultural land located in the Al-Takweera area between the towns of Bruqin and Kafr Ad-Dik belonging to citizen Abdullah Ali Ahmed.
Jordan Valley:
- Paving a settlement road west of Ras Ein al-Auja, with the aim of connecting the settlement outposts located in the area to each other. The road extends to connect the settlement outposts surrounding the complex with another settlement outpost built on the neighboring mountains, which threatens further settlement expansion at the expense of citizens in the area.
- Injuring citizen Sati Alian Daraghmeh as settlers assaulted him and attempted to strangle him after raided his tents, other stormed tents belonging to citizen Yousef Abu Awad in the Dhraa Awad area near the Hamra Military Checkpoint in Ein al-Hilweh in the northern Jordan Valley.
- Demolishing a house and several retaining walls around it, belonging to Jerusalemite Hala Abbasi from the Silwan town, in the Sama Jericho area east of the city.
- Grazing their sheep among the houses of citizens in the Arab al-Malihat village, northwest of the city of Jericho, and seized bales of straw and fodder.
- Demolishing 4 houses and several walls in the Satih area, in the Al-Duyuk al-Tahta village, belonging to Ali Ka’bneh and Saad Khawaja.
- Notifying citizen Shamekh Mustafa Daraghmeh to vacate his house under the pretext of military training in Khirbet al-Farisiya in the northern Jordan Valley, and gave him a week.
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