Hadah-Ta’al members of the Knesset took on Thursday, April 23, a dozen diplomats to the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan in occupied East Jerusalem to show them firsthand the demolition of homes and to call on their governments to intervene to stop this criminal policy. During the visit the lawmakers urged the international community to pressure Israel to halt the increasingly frequent evictions of Palestinian families and the destruction of their homes.
Israeli activists protest against house demolitions at occupied East Jerusalem and the eviction of Palestinian families in front of the Jerusalem Mayor’s home, Moshe Lion, February 2026 (Photo: Avishay Mohar)
MK Ofer Cassif told the foreign representatives that in Silwan—as is generally seen in the occupied West Bank—there are “two forms of ethnic cleansing”: the demolition of homes, which leaves families homeless, and displacement through violence to allow for the entry of Jewish settlers. Cassif labeled these policies “apartheid” and called on diplomats to urge their governments to act. “We want peace, just peace, and it is possible, but we need your help,” he said. In this context, the Cassif also criticized racist National Security Minister, Itamar Ben Gvir, accusing him of contributing to a climate of violence and backing policies that aggravate the situation on the ground.
According to Zo Haderekh diplomats from Mexico, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, and Turkey, as well as representatives from international organizations such as UNESCO and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), participated in the tour.
Israeli Police imposed restrictions on the visit, forcing the diplomats to remain on the main road and only authorizing access to two homes after the parliamentarians intervened. Neighborhood residents claimed that authorities are seeking to expel them to develop projects intended only for settlers.
After the visit, Cassif said “I saw the stark reality of ethnic cleansing in occupied East Jerusalem, carried out through systematic home demolitions and displacement. This pattern persists throughout the West Bank and Gaza. Given my own family’s history of suffering under persecution, seeing this happen today fills me with deep shame. I call upon the world to stop these crimes and work toward a future of genuine peace and justice.”
On the same day, occupation authorities issued new eviction orders targeting seven apartments belonging to the Rajabi family in the Batn al-Hawa neighborhood of Silwan, in occupied Jerusalem. Representatives from the Israeli Enforcement Authority stormed the neighborhood and handed the family notices ordering them to evacuate the apartments in favor of the settler organization Ateret Cohanim, as part of ongoing efforts to take over properties in the area.
The authorities gave the families until May 17 to carry out the evacuations, warning that forced eviction would be implemented before May 25 if they fail to comply. The move comes despite a legal appeal submitted by the family to freeze the orders, which have yet to receive a response. The eviction orders affect seven apartments housing multiple families, including those of Zuhair Rajabi (five members), Osama Rajabi (seven), Samer Rajabi (six), Mundhir Rajabi (seven), Hazem Rajabi (nine), Jadallah Rajabi (seven), and Fouad Rajabi (six), putting dozens of Palestinians at risk of displacement.
On March 24, Israeli forces had already raided the area and evicted 11 inhabited homes belonging to the Rajabi family, displacing around 65 people, in addition to the eviction of the Youssef Basbous family of about 20 members after colonists took over their homes.
Legal claims by Ateret Cohanim are based on alleged ownership by Yemeni Jews dating back to 1881 over land measuring approximately 5.2 dunums in the neighborhood. These claims have intensified since 2015 and place more than 84 Palestinian families—around 700 people—at risk of eviction under Israel’s 1970 Legal and Administrative Matters Law, which allows Jews to reclaim pre-1948 property while denying Palestinians the same right. So far, these policies have led to the displacement of 39 Palestinian families from the neighborhood and the takeover of their homes by colonists. Batn al-Hawa is located about 400 meters from Al-Aqsa Mosque and is one of the most heavily targeted areas in Silwan.
Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?s=Silwan
