Palestinians Demolish 57 East Jerusalem Homes to Avoid $72,000 Fees as Biblical Park Plans Advance
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 16
Palestinians Demolish 57 East Jerusalem Homes to Avoid $72,000 Fees as Biblical Park Plans Advance
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 16
In al-Bustan, Palestinian families are tearing down their own homes after Jerusalem authorities warned municipal demolitions could cost about 280,000 shekels, or $72,000, per house.
Jalal al-Tawil said hiring his own tractor and labor cost less than a tenth of that fee, turning demolition into what residents described as a forced economic choice.
More than 57 homes in the Silwan neighborhood have been demolished in the past two years, with at least eight more slated in coming weeks on land planned for the Kings Garden biblical theme park.
Residents and rights advocates say the project is part of a wider settler-backed effort to recast East Jerusalem around an exclusively Jewish historical narrative while displacing Palestinians.
The push, long delayed by local resistance and foreign pressure, has accelerated since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, the Gaza war and renewed backing from Washington, residents say.
As families must demolish their own homes, where is the line between urban planning and ethnic cleansing?
With international influence fading, what future awaits Palestinian communities in East Jerusalem?
With archaeology used to justify displacement, is Jerusalem's history being preserved or rewritten?
Al-Bustan Under Siege: Surge in Home Demolitions and Displacement Threatens 1,000 Palestinians in East Jerusalem (2023–2026)
Overview
Since October 2023, Al-Bustan in Silwan, East Jerusalem, has faced a sharp rise in demolitions and forced displacement. Israeli authorities have refused building permits to Palestinians for decades, labeling many homes as 'illegal' and paving the way for projects like the 'King's Garden' settlement, which is intended mainly for Israeli settlers. As a result, about 1,000 Palestinians, including children and the elderly, are at risk of losing their homes, and many families have already been evicted. This crisis highlights a pattern of systematic displacement and deepening humanitarian challenges for the community.