Home Battles: Palestinians Face Forced Moves in East Jerusalem

In the heart of East Jerusalem, a tense situation is unfolding. Kayed Rajabi and his neighbors are fighting to keep their homes. An Israeli group, Ateret Cohanim, wants them out. They claim the land belongs to them. Rajabi and others say they won't go without a fight.

The Struggle in Silwan

Rajabi's home is in Silwan, near the Al-Aqsa Mosque. It's a place where Israeli flags now fly high on many buildings. These buildings belong to settlers. They've been buying homes since 2004. Now, they control about 40 buildings in Silwan. Many of these homes were taken through forced evictions.

The settlers offered to buy Rajabi and others out. Most refused. Now, 32 families have been ordered to leave. Rajabi and his brothers have until mid-March. That's the end of Ramadan. The order comes from Israel's Supreme Court.

A Fight Over History and Belonging

Rajabi is determined to stay. "They want to force me out of the house I was born in," he says. His family has lived there since 1967. They bought the land from a Jordanian officer. But the settlers say the land was owned by Yemeni Jews before 1929. They see moving back as fixing a historical wrong. Rajabi disagrees.

A Wider Conflict

The situation is part of a bigger issue. Palestinians want East Jerusalem for their future state. Israel captured it in 1967. Israel sees all of Jerusalem as its capital. But this is not recognized internationally. Settler activity has increased since October 2023. That's when Hamas attacked Israel, starting the Gaza war.

Silwan is a hotspot. It's close to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. This place has long been a point of tension. The settlers offered Rajabi a blank check to leave. He refused. "I wouldn't sell them even a grain of soil," he says. Some neighbors have sold their homes. But most families are holding firm.

The Human Cost of Eviction

If Palestinians refuse to leave, armed police step in. They evict people and demolish homes. Rajabi worries about where his family will go. Rent in Jerusalem is high. "People will live in the streets," he says.

The UN has called on Israel to stop settlement activity. But Israel sees settlements as crucial for security. The situation in Silwan shows the human cost of this ongoing conflict.