The Israeli excavators This Monday they demolished a four-story building in East Jerusalem and left dozens of Palestinians stranded, a demolition that activists say is the largest in the area this year.
The destruction of the building “is part of a systematic policy aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinian residents and emptying the city of its inhabitants,” the Jerusalem governorate, which depends on the Palestinian Authority, said in a statement.
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The building was located in the area of Jerusalem annexed by Israel, in the Silwan neighborhood, near the Old City, it had dozens of apartments and housed about 100 people.
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“The demolition is a tragedy for all residents,” Eid Shawar, who lived in the building, told AFP.
“They broke down the door while I was sleeping and told us that we could only get dressed and take the essential documents,” said this man, who has five children.
Now, Shawar and his family will have to sleep in their car.
This demolition is the latest in a series of homes that were torn down by Israeli authorities, who claim that these structures did not have a building permit.
Excavators demolish a building built without permission in the Wadi Qaddum area, near the Silwan neighborhood, in East Jerusalem, on December 22, 2025. Photo: AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP
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At the place of the house, the excavators continued to operate on Monday under the gaze of the expelled residents who saw their clothes and belongings scattered on the street, an AFP journalist noted.
The building was built on private land belonging to Palestinians, but had a demolition order for lack of a permit, activists reported.
Palestinians face many obstacles in obtaining construction permits due to Israel’s restrictive policies, activists say, and the issue is fueling tensions in East Jerusalem and throughout West Bank.
