Palestinians' homes threatened by demolition

Описание: (16 Jun 2021) LEAD IN:
Dozens of Palestinian families risk losing their homes in Silwan, in east Jerusalem, after receiving a demolition notice.

STORY-LINE:
On June 7, the Israeli police delivered a demolition notice to the Abu Diab family who live in al-Bustan neighbourhood in Silwan, south of the Old City of Jerusalem.
The notice gave them 21 days to demolish their home or the city would send a demolition crew and bill them for it.
Part of the Abu Diab's family home was built without a building permit, but these permits are rarely issued for Palestinians.
"I fear for my children, I fear for my husband, I fear for myself, I fear for my neighbourhood. We all love each other in this neighbourhood," says Etidal Abu Diab.
"I was born in Silwan, got married in Silwan, and I cannot live anywhere but in Silwan," she adds.
Sixty-year-old Fakhry Abu Diab, Etidal's brother-in-law, was served with a demolition notice several months ago.
He also lives in constant worry over his home.
"The occupation destroys our homes and does not issue building permits for us and at the same time grants settlers building permits and homes, and they seize our homes. This is political and ideological to expel us and bring in settlers," he says.
The two families do not intend to demolish their homes.
They believe that enough public pressure would eventually make Israel change its policies.
Israeli settlers say they want to turn the al-Bustan neigbourhood into a biblical garden.
They believe that the area known today as al-Bustan was a garden for the biblical King David several thousand years ago.
Municipal Councillor Laura Wharton says 'Gan Hamelekh' or the King's Garden is a city plan that former mayor Nir Barkat introduced.
"Actually my party left the coalition when he presented it and started trying to promote it and it was frozen for a long time. I don't know why or who decided to take it out of the wraps and bring it out again but I am very distressed about it and I think it will be an awful thing," she says.
Wharton is a member of the Israeli left-wing party of Meretz, which opposes the scheme.
"I don't think there should be anything done in a part of the city without the participation and approval or backing of the residents," she adds.
Fearing an international outcry and strong local reaction, the Israeli government shelved the plan.
But the demolition orders are standing and could be enforced.
Wharton estimates there are 30,000 demolition orders for east Jerusalem though she does not think all are imminent.
The Jerusalem Municipality has officially changed Al-Bustan's name to Gan Hamelekh (King's Garden) on the premise that it was a garden for Israelite kings thousands of years ago.
Protests and unrest in east Jerusalem erupted in May after four Palestinian families in Sheikh Jarrah appealed for help to prevent an eviction order against them.
Far-right Jewish settlers have brought lawsuits against them, claiming that Jews owned the property in question before the 1948 war.
The lower courts have ruled in favour of the settlers. The cases are now under appeal.

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