In the month of April, four homes were demolished in Jerusalem, displacing four families totaling 26 people. The residents of Jabl al-Mukabr, for instance, saw one house destroyed in the neighborhood as well as the issuing of several new demolition orders. Settlement work also continued in Jabl al-Mukabr, where Occupation forces are creating a new settlement in the heart of the community. To the east of Jerusalem, 12,000 dunums were confiscated to further tie major settlement blocs together.
Demolishing Palestinian homes
Four homes were demolished in April; one in Sur al-Bahr, two in Burj al-Qalq, and one in Jabel al-Mukabr affecting 26 people in total, 14 of them children. In Jabel al-Mukabr, the Hadidun family lost their five year old home on the 22nd of the month. The family consists of ‘Amar Salameh Hadidun, his wife Samiyah and their five children, aged between 12 and 18 years of age. A witness described the demolition, stating, âwithout prior warning they raided the house [â¦] and evacuated [his] wife and her five children and forced them out under the sun [â¦] and then demolished and smashed everything.â
In addition to the homes, a small shop on Nablus road was removed as well.
New demolition orders were also issued, both in Jabl al-Mukabr. One targeted home is two floors and home to 10 people, 6 of them children. The second is larger, consisting of three floors and housing 21 people.
Confiscation, expulsion and settlement
Work is ongoing in several settlements in Jerusalem. Workers arrived in the new settlement in the heart of Jabl al-Mukabr, where work on some 60 residential units is in progress.
This month was also marked by a major land confiscation. 12,000 dunums were taken to link Ma’ale Adumim to Qedar and Gush Etzion. 6,000 new residential units in the area will create a link between Qedar and Ma’ale Adumim. This move will strengthen the settlement ring that effectively cuts Jerusalem out of the West Bank.