Israeli authorities have escalated their policy of demolishing homes in East Jerusalem since October 7, under the pretext of lack of permits, threatening the Palestinian presence in the city.

Since the beginning of this year, 155 structures have been demolished in East Jerusalem, including 112 residential apartments and 43 non-residential structures, according to statistics collected by the left-wing Israeli organization Ir Amim, which monitors settlement construction and home demolitions in East Jerusalem.

According to the organization's statistics, 77 self-demolitions have been carried out since the beginning of this year, including 54 residential apartments and 23 non-residential facilities. It added that since October 7, the number of demolitions carried out in East Jerusalem has reached 224 facilities, including 159 residential facilities and 65 others.

The organization noted that last July set a new record, the highest since October 7, in terms of the number of demolitions carried out by the Israeli authorities through their various arms or even self-demolitions. Since the beginning of the month, 44 facilities have been demolished, including 34 residential facilities. Of these facilities, 21 were self-demolished, including 18 residential apartments.

On the other hand, Silwan topped the list of the most affected neighborhoods, with 35 facilities demolished, including 21 residential and 14 non-residential facilities. Beit Hanina followed with 32 facilities demolished, including 27 residential and 5 others. Jabal Mukaber came in third place with 24 facilities demolished, including 14 residential apartments and 10 non-residential facilities.

According to the Secretary-General of the Islamic Christian Authority for the Support of Jerusalem and the Holy Sites, there has been an increase in house demolitions, especially during the current year, noting that there has been a 40% increase in house demolitions compared to previous years. He told Al-Quds.com that the goal of house demolitions is not legal as much as it is a political goal that aims to displace Jerusalemites outside the city of Jerusalem and thus reduce the Palestinian population and demographic area within the holy city, on the one hand by demolishing houses and on the other hand by building settlements.

He pointed out that for every house that is demolished, about 10 settlement units are built in its place, on average.

Abdul Qader stressed that we are facing a policy of displacement and that everything the Jerusalem Municipality claims about the lack of licenses is misleading with the aim of achieving political goals because the municipality does not grant licenses to Jerusalemites in addition to reducing the area allocated for construction and that it has granted licenses but it charges large sums that the Jerusalemite citizen cannot pay.

Abdul Qader saw a new approach being taken by the right-wing government, whether the Ministry of Interior, the Municipality, or the so-called Ministry of Internal Security, as well as the settlement associations, which are the decision-makers in the Jerusalem Municipality, which are pushing for such decisions to be taken.

He pointed out that there are tens of thousands of demolition decisions that have not been implemented yet, and he believes that the municipality is on its way to implementing them, stressing that we are facing a dangerous plan that aims to displace the people of Jerusalem outside their city.