Court Rulings Clear Way for Palestinian Evictions in Silwan to Benefit Settler Entity

By Staff, Agencies

An “Israeli” high court has moved forward with decisions that enable the forced displacement of Palestinian families from the Batn Al-Hawa area of Silwan, located south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The rulings address two of four petitions submitted by residents opposing eviction orders, according to the Al-Quds [“Jerusalem”] Governorate.

In its statement, the governorate said the court upheld earlier judgments that mandate the removal of families from their homes, paving the way for takeover by the “Israeli” settler entity “Ateret Cohanim”. One case involves the Abdel Fattah al-Rajabi family, affecting two apartments sheltering 16 people. Another concerns Yaqoub and Nidal al-Rajabi and their brothers, covering 11 apartments where more than 100 Palestinians reside.

Two additional cases are still pending before the court. These include the Youssef al-Basbous family, with four apartments housing around 20 people, and the Zuhair Al-Rajabi family, involving seven apartments and roughly 50 residents.

The Al-Quds Governorate denounced the rulings, accusing “Israel” of using settler organizations and a discriminatory judicial system to enforce expulsions in occupied East Al-Quds. It said the actions violate international humanitarian law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention and the Rome Statute.

Officials warned that the broader objective is to depopulate Al-Quds of Palestinians and replace them with settlers, accelerating demographic engineering to entrench control over the city.

Since 2015, at least 16 families—comprising dozens of households—have been displaced from the neighborhood, which lies about 400 meters south of Al-Aqsa Mosque and is home to approximately 10,000 Palestinians. Residents have pursued lengthy legal challenges against claims by “Ateret Cohanim”, which asserts alleged 19^th-century ownership.

These developments follow a recent decision by “Israel’s” security cabinet to approve plans for 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank. In September, “Israeli” finance minister Bezalel Smotrich declared intentions to annex more than 80 percent of the West Bank, calling it a preventive measure against international recognition of Palestinian statehood.

“Israel” occupied the West Bank, including East Al-Quds, in 1967 and later annexed the eastern part of the city, which Palestinians seek as the capital of their future state. In July 2024, the International Court of Justice ruled that “Israel’s” prolonged occupation of historic Palestine is unlawful and called for the removal of all settlements in the West Bank and East Al-Quds.