A report prepared by the National Bureau for Defending Land and Resisting Settlements stated that the justifications of the occupation authorities for reducing the social and economic disparities between the two parts of the occupied city of Jerusalem were contradictory in light of the Judaization, Israelization, and colonial plans.

The office explained in its weekly settlement report issued today, Saturday, that the five-year plan approved by the occupation authorities in August of last year, at about 4 billion shekels, under the pretext of developing East Jerusalem, had evaporated in the circumstances of the war, and the differences had deepened, the latest of which was what it published regarding an auction (No. 367/2024) to establish a new colony in Beit Safafa, in which it requested proposals to purchase the rights to the land, which is about 11 dunams in area, to build a neighborhood that includes about 200 colonial units.

He added that the occupation is practicing various forms of oppression against Palestinian citizens, with the aim of changing the demographic reality in the city of Jerusalem, so that their percentage of the total population in the city in both its parts decreases from 40 percent to 20 percent, through the demolition of houses, which is practiced on a large scale.

In this regard, the occupation authorities are planning these days to demolish the Al-Bustan neighborhood in East Jerusalem and displace Palestinians from their homes. Two weeks ago, the occupation municipality in Jerusalem demolished 7 residential apartments and a small community center, and forced more than 30 citizens to leave their homes, taking advantage of the timing of the US presidential elections to escape criticism and condemnation from the international community.

The Israeli human rights organization "Ir Amim" confirmed that "the Jerusalem Municipality is under the influence of the extreme Israeli right and the police of Itamar Ben Gvir, Minister of National Security, and that the demolition of homes in East Jerusalem aims to demolish the entire Al-Bustan neighborhood and displace 1,500 of its residents."

The association had previously reported that the occupation authorities had demolished more than 140 homes and housing units in East Jerusalem since the beginning of the war in Gaza.

According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, the occupation destroyed 128 Palestinian buildings in East Jerusalem between January 1 and August 2 of this year, 19 of which were in the Al-Bustan neighborhood, displacing 52 of its residents.

The Jerusalem Governorate, in turn, recently confirmed that the occupation authorities had carried out 320 demolitions, including more than 87 in the town of Silwan since October 7, 2023, and that there were more than 30,000 properties in East Jerusalem threatened with demolition, which would lead to displacement and economic losses in the lives of about 100,000 Jerusalemites.

Demolition notices knock on the doors of Jerusalemites

On the 7th of this month, the residents of the town of Silwan, south of occupied Jerusalem, decided not to deal with the policy of self-demolition of their homes and facilities, which the occupation municipality is trying to impose on them, no matter the financial fines, and to have them demolished by the occupation’s machinery, especially since there are 22,000 homes and facilities in East Jerusalem, 7,000 of which are in the town of Silwan, which the occupation municipality claims are illegal.

The town of Silwan is being systematically targeted, especially the neighborhoods of Al-Bustan, Wadi Al-Rababa and Wadi Qaddum, due to their proximity to Al-Aqsa Mosque, to implement the occupation’s plans to demolish them, to establish what is called “Biblical Gardens” and what is called “King’s Garden” on the ruins of homes and on the lands of the neighborhood’s owners, as the extremist Ben Gvir has put the policy of demolishing homes and ethnic cleansing in Jerusalem on the agenda of his ministry.

Changing the terms of land purchase in the West Bank in favor of settlers

In a related context, an Israeli ministerial committee in the West Bank is currently examining a draft law that would change the terms of land ownership. Moshe Solomon, a member of the Knesset from the “Religious Zionism” party, presented a draft law to the Ministerial Committee for Legislation Affairs, which would enable settlers to purchase Palestinian lands in the occupied West Bank, directly and without restrictions, i.e. changing the terms of land purchase.

The new bill, titled “Abolishing Discrimination in Land Purchases in the West Bank,” which was previously proposed by MK Bezalel Smotrich, allows settlers to purchase property and real estate throughout the West Bank, without any oversight or restrictions, which opens the way for fabricated deals and fraud.

The Religious Zionism party, led by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, is pushing for the annexation of the West Bank and calls for widespread, unrestricted colonization there.

According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the relevant Israeli ministers will soon meet to consider the bill, “which would simplify the process of Jews acquiring land in the West Bank, and would abolish the current Jordanian law that limits the possibility of buying or renting West Bank land.”

The Peace Now movement commented on the bill, saying: “This is a step that allows settlers to buy land without supervision throughout the West Bank, turning them into the ones who give orders and prohibitions in the West Bank.”

Israeli Amana Organization

The US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Amana on Monday for funding and supporting colonial activities and individuals involved in violence against Palestinian citizens in the occupied West Bank.

This organization was founded in 1979, with the aim of encouraging, supporting and financing colonization in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, the occupied Syrian Golan, and in the Galilee and the Negev.

Its activity is currently concentrated in the West Bank, and since 1989 it has been headed by Zeev Hever (Zambish) through its two branches, Bar Amana Construction and Real Estate Development and Al-Watan. Its activities include encouraging the absorption of settlers, and planning and establishing new settlements and outposts.

Its assets, according to some estimates, amount to hundreds of millions of shekels, but its impact on life in Israel is very broad, according to The Marker, the economic supplement of Haaretz newspaper.

Amana operates illegally and plays a major role in establishing illegal agricultural colonization outposts.

In recent years, these areas have become associated with settler violence against Palestinians, and because of their status as a cooperative, there is no way to look at the financial cycle they generate, and they are not obligated to be transparent. The Israeli rights group Peace Now has estimated their assets at NIS 600 million.

The following is a summary of the weekly violations:

Jerusalem

For more than two months, settlers have been continuing excavation work at the Petra Hotel in the Bab al-Khalil area, and are removing large quantities of dirt and construction waste in an area belonging to the Greek and Latin monasteries and the Islamic Waqf Department. Last January, the occupation municipality approved a Judaization project in the area, and allocated a budget of 40 million shekels for it.

In Jabal al-Mukaber, the occupation forces forced citizen Alaa Matar to demolish his own home, which consisted of two apartments that housed his family and the family of his brother Louay Matar. They also demolished walls and the entrance to a residential building belonging to the Zahdeh family in the Ras Khamis neighborhood in the Shuafat camp, a house belonging to the Zahdeh family in the Ras Khamis neighborhood in the camp, and a garden, a hut and a studio in the town of Rafat, belonging to citizen Nabil Mazraawi from the town of Beit Surik.

It also demolished a commercial store in the town of Qalandia, and arbors for selling vegetables and fruits, while its machinery began bulldozing lands located between the towns of Qalandia and Rafat.

In Jabal al-Mukaber, the occupation forces also demolished the Al-Shiyah Mosque, which was built twenty years ago on an area estimated at 80 square meters, and consists of one floor and an outdoor courtyard. They also stormed the "Kastiro" Café in the Musrara area, to implement the decision to vacate the property in favor of the settlers, under the pretext that it is owned by the Custodian of Absentee Property.

Ramallah

Settlers who infiltrated from the "Horsha" settlement, built on the lands of the western farm, set fire to two vehicles belonging to citizen Hassan Rajab Sandouqa.

Hebron

Armed settlers from the Susya settlement in Masafer Yatta attacked farmers and shepherds, insulted them, and beat citizens from the Jabour and Nawaja families, including a woman, causing them injuries and bruises.

In the Arab al-Freijat area in al-Ramadin, the occupation forces demolished an inhabited house owned by the sons of Jamal Zagharna, agricultural barracks with an area of more than 350 square meters, and a water well. They also destroyed a number of fruit trees in the areas of “Umm Sidra” and “al-Tina,” owned by citizens Hajja al-Huwarin and Jamil Zagharna.

In the city of Hebron, settlers set up a tent in the Tel Rumeida neighborhood near the new spring, with the aim of controlling the area near the "Ramat Yishai" settlement in the center of Hebron. In Wadi al-Jawaya, a group of armed settlers from the "Khavat Maon" settlement chased the shepherds and forced them to leave, after preventing them from reaching the pastures.

While others released their flocks of sheep and cattle near citizens' homes in the "Fatah Sidra" area, in Masafer Yatta.

In Dura, settlers desecrated a mosque in Khirbet Marah al-Baqar, chanting racist slogans. Others set up a mobile home (caravan) on citizens’ lands, near Khirbet Samri on the eastern side of Shaab al-Batm in Masafer Yatta. Others, dressed in occupation army uniforms, stormed the “Saddat al-Tha’laba” gathering in Masafer Yatta, detained a number of citizens, searched homes and caves, punctured the tires of an agricultural tractor, and stole surveillance cameras. They also fired sound bombs and toxic gas at citizens, including children, and assaulted a number of workers while they were picking olives in the “Farsh al-Hawa” area west of Hebron, and conducted field investigations with them.

Bethlehem

Settlers attacked residents of the Al-Minya desert area, east of Bethlehem, and tried to steal some livestock. They threatened the residents with the necessity of evacuating the area within 10 days, but the citizens confronted them.

Nablus

Dozens of settlers launched a large-scale attack, burning agricultural rooms and a vehicle in the town of Beit Furik, east of the city, after they infiltrated the western area, damaged a water tank, smashed the windows of two houses, destroyed furniture, and burned an electricity pole.

The occupation forces also prevented farmers from picking olives, and expelled them from the Wadi al-Azab area near the Itamar settlement west of the town, under the pretext of cancelling coordination.

In the New Nablus area, the occupation bulldozers demolished and uprooted 42 fruit trees, beehives, walls, and stone chains belonging to citizen Hamza Al-Hamami, under the pretext of building without a permit.

In the village of Duma, settlers forced the family of citizen Ali Eid Araara to evacuate their home and land near the Ein Duma area, at gunpoint. The occupation forces also demolished a barracks in the village of Qablan, belonging to the Al-Adili Marble Company opposite the Qablan gas station, owned by citizen Adi Al-Asmar.

Salfit

The occupation forces demolished a house inhabited by residents in the “Al-Mureij” area in the town of Deir Ballut and a commercial facility (a carpentry shop) on an area of one dunum, owned by the citizen Adel Yousef Abdullah, without prior warning, as the citizen Abdullah was unable to empty their contents before the demolition.

The Jordan Valley

Settlers began rehabilitating a water spring in the northern Jordan Valley in Umm al-Jimal, after seizing it about three months ago. The occupation had demolished the homes of citizens in the Bedouin community, which includes 14 Palestinian families who depend on raising livestock.

In the Al-Ma'rajat area, settlers severely beat citizen Muhammad Qandil, a truck driver from the city of Jericho, before the occupation forces arrested him and prevented Red Crescent crews from providing him with medical treatment.

In the Hammamat al-Maleh area, the occupation forces notified 11 residential facilities and another for raising livestock until the fourth of next month to stop work, and to stop work in three barracks for raising livestock and two residential rooms in the village of Bardala. In Khirbet al-Deir in the northern Jordan Valley, the occupation forces seized five water pumps placed on a number of springs used to irrigate crops, three electrical transformers, and 30 solar panels, leaving nearly 600 dunams planted with grapes and corn without a water source.

In the Ras al-Ain Bedouin community, settlers set up two tents and installed a water tank, as a prelude to controlling the land and establishing a colonial outpost there.