Demolitions in the Jerusalem area, January 2023: 60 structures demolished on Israeli authorities' orders; 55 Palestinians, including 24 minors, lose their homes

On Jerusalem Municipality, Ministry of Interior and Civil Administration orders, 60 structures belonging to Palestinians were demolished throughout January 2023 in East Jerusalem and in adjacent areas lying within the al-Quds District of the Palestinian Authority.

The demolished structures included 15 homes, 8 of them demolished by the owners on the authorities’ instructions. Seven of the homes were inhabited and their demolition left 30 people, 14 of them minors, homeless. Eight homes were under construction: 6 were intended to house 4 families, numbering 28 people in total, including 10 minors, and 2 were slated for 2 brothers to live in after marriage. Parts of another home were demolished by the owner.

In addition, 43 non-residential structures were demolished by the authorities and 2 others were demolished by the owners. Of all the structures demolished, 26 were a source of income for 48 families.

The Israeli apartheid regime treats the territory it controls as meant to serve the Jewish public only, almost entirely barring Palestinian development. But Palestinians need homes, too, and when they have no choice but to build without permits, the regime demolishes their homes. "Enforcing the law" is merely an excuse for cementing Jewish supremacy.  

Demolition details

On Sunday, 1 January 2023, a resident of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabal al-Mukabber was forced to demolish his home, which he built by his family’s home, on Jerusalem Municipality orders. After the demolition, he moved back into his family’s home.

On Wednesday, 4 January 2023, at around 6:30 A.M., Jerusalem Municipality personnel arrived with a Border Police escort and a bulldozer at the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan and demolished a home under construction intended for a family of 10, including 2 minors. The demolition was ordered by the Ministry of Interior.

On Monday, 9 January 2023, at around 7:00 A.M., Civil Administration personnel arrived with a military and Border Police escort and a bulldozer at the town of Qalandia in al-Quds District and demolished a livestock enclosure that was a source of income for a family of 8, including 3 minors.

On Tuesday, 10 January 2023, at around 3:00 A.M., Civil Administration personnel arrived with a military escort and three bulldozers at the town of ‘Anata in al-Quds District and demolished a home under construction intended for a family of 5. The forces also demolished 14 non-residential structures, 4 of which were commercial and provided a source of income for 4 families.

On Friday, 13 January 2023, a family of 7, including 5 minors, was forced to demolish its home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina, on Jerusalem Municipality orders. The family remained homeless.

On Saturday, 14 January 2023, a family of 10, including 5 minors, was forced to demolish two rooms, a bathroom and a kitchen added to its home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras al-‘Amud, on Jerusalem Municipality orders.

On Monday, 16 January 2023, at around midnight, Civil Administration personnel arrived with a Border Police escort and bulldozers at the town of Hizma in al-Quds District and demolished 18 non-residential structures that provided a source of income for 42 families. Among the structures demolished were 6 auto repair shops, 5 stores, a carwash, an office, a storage facility, a butcher shop, an abattoir and a gas station.

On Tuesday, 17 January 2023, at around 5:00 A.M., Jerusalem Municipality personnel arrived with an Israel Police and Border Police escort at the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina and demolished the walls of a carpark still standing after the owner was forced to demolish it on Jerusalem Municipality orders.

That day, around 12:00 P.M., Jerusalem Municipality personnel arrived with a Border Police escort and a bulldozer at the part of Beit Safafa that lies in East Jerusalem and demolished a two-story residential building under construction.

On Thursday, 19 January 2023, a family of 5, including 3 minors, was forced to demolish its home under construction in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabal al-Mukabber, on Jerusalem Municipality orders.

That day, another family of 5, including 3 minors, was forced to demolish its home in the neighborhood of Bab al-Khalil in the Old City, on Jerusalem Municipality orders. The family remained homeless.

On Saturday, 21 January 2023, a family of 7, including 3 minors, was forced to demolish its home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras al-‘Amud, on Jerusalem Municipality orders. The family remained homeless.

That day, a resident of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan was forced to dismantle a gate in a plot of land he owns in the neighborhood, on Ministry of Interior orders.

On Sunday, 22 January 2023, 2 brothers were forced to demolish 2 homes under construction intended for them to live in after marriage in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras al-‘Amud, on Jerusalem Municipality orders. On Thursday, 26 January 2023, a family of 8, including 6 minors, was forced to demolish its home under construction in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras al-‘Amud, on Jerusalem Municipality orders.

On Sunday, 29 January 2023, a resident of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina was forced to demolish a garage built at the entrance to his home, on Jerusalem Municipality orders.

On Monday, 30 January 2023, at around 7:00 A.M., Jerusalem Municipality personnel arrived with a Border Police escort and a bulldozer at the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabal al-Mukabber and demolished a two-story building that was home to 3 families. The families, numbering 11 people in total, 3 of them minors, remained homeless. The forces also demolished 2 livestock enclosures and a stable that were a source of income for 5 families, as well as an empty shed that used to serve as an auto repair shop owned by another family.