Large contingents of police and municipal forces carried out extensive demolition operations today in the al-Bustan neighborhood of Silwan. The forces demolished walls between homes in the neighborhood, a compound used for selling construction materials, and parking shelters built by residents.<\/p>\n
The Jerusalem Municipality relied on a municipal bylaw titled \u201cMaintaining Order and Cleanliness\u201d (Section 39), which grants the mayor authority to order the removal of obstacles from public streets. However, the municipality issued the evacuation orders at 9:25 a.m. without providing residents any opportunity to remove the alleged \u201cobstacles\u201d themselves or to appeal the orders. Only minutes later, bulldozers began demolishing the structures. It should be noted that the demolished structures and walls had stood for years on land that is not part of any existing \u201cstreet.\u201d<\/p>\n
Residents swiftly filed an urgent petition with the Jerusalem District Court, through attorneys Amar Sumeri and Yazid Qawar. The court issued an interim injunction halting further demolitions. After approximately three hours of demolition activity, the bulldozers withdrew from the neighborhood.<\/p>\n
The Deputy President of the Jerusalem District Court, Judge Ram Winograd, sharply criticized the municipality, stating:<\/p>\n
\n\u201cSuch conduct cannot be accepted, whereby a decision is made to demolish property accompanied by a warning that the property will be demolished if it is not cleared within 20 minutes. Setting such a timetable does not allow the affected party to take actions to which it is entitled.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
The court ordered the municipality to clarify when the decision to demolish structures under the municipal bylaw was made, how many structures have been demolished in this manner in recent years, and whether the operation was supported by a legal opinion.<\/p>\n
Residents fear that the municipality will resume demolitions in the coming days or weeks, after efforts to reach a compromise on alternative planning proposals for al-Bustan were rejected by the municipality.<\/p>\n
During the demolitions, police violently arrested several residents<\/a>. One resident was evacuated to the hospital suffering from injuries to the head and back and from extreme exhaustion following beatings by police officers.<\/p>\n
\n\u05d4\u05d4\u05e8\u05d9\u05e1\u05d5\u05ea \u05d1\u05d1\u05d5\u05e1\u05ea\u05d0\u05df \u05e0\u05de\u05e9\u05db\u05d5\u05ea: https:\/\/t.co\/C7929wPPqD<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/4e5mPPJ42z<\/a><\/p>\n
\u2014 Hagit Ofran \u05d7\u05d2\u05d9\u05ea \u05e2\u05d5\u05e4\u05e8\u05df (@hagitofran) February 10, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n