Residents of a Palestinian neighbourhood in East Jerusalem watched helplessly as Israeli demolition machinery tore down a four-storey apartment block, leaving approximately 100 people homeless. The large-scale demolition in the Wadi Qaddom area of Silwan coincided with an announcement from Israel's far-right finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, that the security cabinet had approved 19 new Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.
A Community Watches Its Homes Destroyed
On Tuesday 23 December 2025, Israeli police blocked roads in Silwan as three diggers set to work on the building, which had been a fixture of the local landscape. An elderly woman, her cheeks flushed with anger, lamented the lack of outside support. "Where are the Arab countries? No one is here to help us," she exclaimed, stating that God was their only protection.
The demolition, which took around 12 hours to complete, is the largest single structure to be razed in East Jerusalem's Palestinian neighbourhoods in 2025. According to Sky News correspondent Yousra Elbagir, the block of roughly 13 flats was one of 230 buildings demolished in East Jerusalem this year.
The Permit Dispute and Settler Expansion
The Jerusalem Municipality stated the action was based on a 2014 court order, claiming the building was constructed without a permit on land not licensed for residential use. They said residents had been granted extensions and offered solutions but declined them.
However, Sari Kornish, an architect with the Israeli NGO Bimkom which is supporting the families, contested this. She told Sky News that the residents, who were actively challenging the orders and applying for licences, had their time to act cut short. "They were told that the demolition order would be implemented, and then they would get another six months... Six months is not enough," Kornish said, highlighting systemic discrimination in planning. She noted that permits for Palestinians in East Jerusalem are "very, very few" and have dwindled further since the 7 October attacks.
Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir praised the demolition on social media, calling it part of a policy against illegal construction. Meanwhile, Finance Minister Smotrich's announcement of 19 new settlements signals a significant expansion in the West Bank, where over half a million Israeli settlers already live. Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem and parts of the West Bank is considered illegal under international law.
A Landscape of Displacement and Takeover
The aftermath extends beyond a single building. In the Batn al Hawa area of Silwan, resident Zuhair al Rajabbi looks out at a landscape scarred by demolition sites. Neighbouring homes now fly Israeli flags as settlers renovate them. He described with sadness how closely knit families, including children and grandparents, have been displaced from their homes.
The scale of the threat is vast. At least 500 Palestinians have lost homes to demolitions in East Jerusalem due to lack of permits. A further 1,000 people, including 460 children, are at risk of forced displacement from eviction cases filed in Israeli courts by settler organisations.
As settlers consolidate their presence, the daily realities for remaining Palestinian residents become increasingly strained, exemplified by al Rajabbi's observation of a settler mopping dirty water onto a neighbour's roof below. The scene in Silwan underscores a deepening crisis of displacement and occupation in East Jerusalem.
