The sound of demolition machinery echoes through the hills below Jerusalem's Old City as an Israeli excavator tears into another Palestinian home in the al-Bustan area of Silwan.
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Since late 2023, 59 properties have been demolished in the neighbourhood, where residents say the pace of destruction has accelerated while international attention has focused on conflicts in Gaza, Iran and Lebanon.
Homes Reduced to Rubble in Silwan
"There is no future. They destroyed the future and everything else," said 58-year-old Fayez Awad, speaking from the only remaining floor of his home.
"We spent our whole lives building this house. This is all we managed to achieve in life. They brought us back to zero again, me and my children."
Dispute Over Land and Planning
East Jerusalem has remained at the centre of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since Israel captured it from Jordan in the 1967 Middle East War and later annexed it, a move not recognised by most countries.
For around two decades, Jerusalem's municipality has pursued plans to transform al-Bustan into a biblical-themed park known as the King's Garden, to be operated by a Jewish settler organisation. Demolition orders issued by Israeli courts have recently been enforced at a faster rate.
The municipality said it was acting "for the benefit of all city residents" and aimed to create a park in an area lacking public open space.
Palestinian residents argue that obtaining Israeli building permits in East Jerusalem is extremely difficult. According to the Israeli planning rights group Bimkom, Palestinians received only 7% of newly approved housing in Jerusalem in 2025 despite making up about 40% of the city's population.
About half of al-Bustan's homes have now been demolished. Many residents facing demolition orders have chosen to destroy their own properties to avoid substantial municipal fines and demolition costs.
"We're being given warnings that in the coming months they'll destroy the rest of the houses," said community activist Fakhri Abu Diab, whose own home has already been demolished.
Evictions and Settlement Expansion
Israel has built roughly 160 settlements housing around 700,000 Jewish residents across the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Settlements and the transfer of populations into occupied territory are considered illegal under international law, a position rejected by Israel.
According to the United Nations, around 200 Palestinian households, comprising about 900 people, are currently facing eviction proceedings in East Jerusalem, most of them initiated by settler groups.
In nearby Batn al-Hawa, Palestinian families are being removed from homes where they have lived for decades under laws that allow Jewish ownership claims dating from before Israel's establishment in 1948. Palestinians do not have equivalent rights to reclaim property inside Israel.
Israeli anti-settlement groups say the changes are reshaping the city's demographic and political landscape.
Yonatan Mizrahi of Peace Now said Silwan's archaeological and religious significance has made it a focus for projects highlighting Jewish historical connections to the area.
Families Fear Losing Their Last Homes
Elsewhere in the Old City, another legal battle has placed members of the Basha family at risk of eviction from a building linked to a Jewish religious school.
The family traces its presence there to the British Mandate era, when Mohammed Basha Abdulghani was allowed to live in part of the property after protecting it during periods of unrest.
Although a court recently granted a temporary injunction while an appeal is considered, family members fear they could still lose their homes.
"What will we do?" asked 76-year-old Mufid Basha. "We've nowhere else to go. This is the only home I've ever known."
Rights groups also warn that land registration measures introduced in East Jerusalem in 2018 are contributing to Palestinian displacement.
Calls for International Action
During a recent visit by foreign diplomats to Silwan, residents urged the international community to intervene.
The European Union recently described the situation in East Jerusalem, particularly in Silwan, as "dire" and reiterated its opposition to Israeli settlement activity.
Among those facing uncertainty is 97-year-old Yusra Qweider, who has been displaced three times since 1948. After living in her current home for more than 50 years, she now faces an eviction notice.
"They want to kick us out of here," she said. "I am sick and I can't walk. We are counting on God."
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 12 June 2026