Demolitions in the Jerusalem area, August 2022: Authorities demolish 30 structures; 73 people, including 35 minors, lose their homes

Over the course of August 2022, 30 structures in East Jerusalem and nearby areas within the al-Quds District of the Palestinian Authority were demolished on the instructions of Israeli authorities. The demolished structures included 12 residential buildings, four of which were still vacant and eight occupied. Sixty people, including 35 minors, were left homeless. Nine other homes were demolished by the owners on the instructions of the authorities, and one additional home was partially demolished by the owner. In total, 73 people, 35 of them minors, lost their homes.

The authorities demolished 18 more non-residential structures, six of which supported the livelihoods of 18 families.

Demolition details:

On Monday, 1 August 2022, a resident of Wadi al-Joz in East Jerusalem was forced, due to an order issued by the municipality, to demolish a home still under construction into which he was set to move in after his wedding.

On Tuesday, 2 August 2022, at around 7:00 A.M., Jerusalem Municipality personnel arrived with Border Police officers and a digger at the Wadi a-Rababa area in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan. The forces demolished a fence built around some farmland, on the instructions of the Israel Parks and Nature Authority.

On Wednesday, 3 August 2022, at around 6:00 A.M., Jerusalem Municipality personnel came with Border Police officers and a digger to Wadi al-Hummus, the eastern extension of Zur Baher in East Jerusalem. The forces did leveling work in land owned by a family of eight, six of them minors, that was being used as a parking lot. The work was conducted on the orders of the Ministry of Interior.

The same day, at around 6:00 A.M., Civil Administration personnel came with soldiers, Israel Police and Border Police officers and a digger to the town of Qalandiya in the al-Quds District. The forces demolished a shack used as a livestock enclosure that provided for the livelihood of a family of eight, six of them minors.

The same day, at around 8:00 A.M., Jerusalem Municipality personnel arrived with Border Police officers and a digger at the ‘Ein al-Loza area of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan. The forces demolished the home of a family of eight, three of whom are minors, leaving the family homeless.

The same day, at around 8:00 A.M., Jerusalem Municipality personnel arrived with Border Police officers and a digger at the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabal al-Mukabber. Following an order issued by the Ministry of Interior, the forces demolished a livestock enclosure used by four families.

The same day, at around 11:00 A.M., Civil Administration personnel arrived with soldiers, a digger and a truck at the village of a-Za’ayem in al-Quds District. The forces dismantled and confiscated five agricultural structures belonging to five families with a total of 37 members, including 19 minors. They also confiscated a shed and an outhouse that belongs to one of the families.

On Thursday, 4 August 2022, a resident of the neighborhood of al-’Esawiyah in East Jerusalem was forced to demolish his carwash facility, which supported the livelihoods of 12 individuals, following an order issued by the municipality. Later that week, on 7 August 2022, at around 9:00 A.M., Jerusalem Municipality personnel arrived at the neighborhood with Border Police officers and a digger and demolished two stone-built sheds in the same carwash facility.

On Monday, 8 August 2022, at around 7:00 A.M., Civil Administration personnel arrived with soldiers and a digger at the Abu Shushah community in the town of Jaba’, al-Quds District. The forces demolished two shacks housing two families with a total of 16 members, including eight minors, and another shack that was set to house a young couple. The forces also demolished three sheep enclosures, one owned by the family whose home was demolished, and another belonging to two other families with a total number of 22 members, including eight minors.

On Wednesday, 10 August 2022, at around 8:00 A.M., Jerusalem Municipality personnel arrived at the al-Awqaf neighborhood in the town of ‘Anata, north of Jerusalem. The forces demolished the foundations of a home set to house a family of seven.

The same day, a family of six, including four minors, was forced to demolish its own home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina, following a demolition order issued by the municipality. The family was left homeless.

On Monday, 15 August 2022, a family of six, including four minors, was forced to demolish a single room added to its home in the neighborhood of Bab Huttah in the Old City, following a demolition order issued by the municipality.

On Tuesday, 16 August 2022, at around 10:00 A.M., Jerusalem Municipality personnel came with Border Police officers to the Hush al-A’war area of Silwan in East Jerusalem and demolished the home of a family of six, including four minors, leaving the family homeless.

The same day, at around 9:00 A.M., Jerusalem Municipality personnel came with Israel Police and Border Police officers and a digger to the East Jerusalem neighborhood of al-’Esawiyah. The forces demolished an event venue that provided for the livelihoods of 10 families.

The same day, due to an order issued by the municipality, a resident of the neighborhood was forced to demolish a fourth-floor apartment he had started building, into which he was to move after his wedding.

On Wednesday, 17 August 2022, a family of four, including two minors, was forced to demolish its own home in the neighborhood of Abu Tur in East Jerusalem, following a demolition order issued by the municipality. The family was left homeless.

On Sunday, 21 August 2022, following a Ministry of Interior demolition order, a resident of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras al-‘Amud was forced to demolish the foundations of a marble factory that would have provided for the livelihoods of three families.

That same day, a family of four, including two minors, was forced to demolish its own home in the neighborhood of Beit Safafa in East Jerusalem, following a demolition order issued by the municipality. The family was left homeless.

On Monday, 22 August 2022, a family of six, including four minors, was forced to demolish its own home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras al-'Amud, following a demolition order issued by the municipality. The family was left homeless.

On Tuesday, 23 August 2022, a family of 10, including eight minors, was forced to demolish its own home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras al-'Amud, following a demolition order issued by the municipality. The family was left homeless.