Israeli occupation authorities seek to build 200 settlement units and cordon off the old city of Jerusalem

Two days ago, The Israeli occupation authorities approved the destruction of dozens of old-decade- Palestinian-owned industrial facilities in Wad al-Joz neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem as part of a plan to construct a new settlement on their ruins called “Silicon Valley,” a step that has raised concern and anger of the Palestinian businesses in the area, most of them have been there since before the Israeli occupation in 1967.

The Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem has advanced the plan for the technology park, the Silicon Valley or Wadi Silicon, which would result in the confiscation of 2,000 dunums of Palestinian-owned land and the demolition of over 200 Palestinian shops, restaurants and facilities such as car repair and parts shops, in the neighborhood to make room for the construction of some 900 settlement units.

The Israeli occupation authority will start its 3-year project with demolishing the eastern industrialist area in Wadi al-Joz and then the middle and western parts, so thousands of Palestinian workers will lose their jobs and the historic feature of Wadi al-Joz will completely change as it constitutes the heart of the old city.

The Israeli authorities have served eviction notices to dozens of Palestinian facilities and shops, allowing them until December 30 to leave before the demolitions are carried out.

Palestinians have warned of the risks of the project, which would further isolate their neighborhoods in Jerusalem, allow Israel to take over some 2,000,000 square meters in sensitive areas, and ultimately alter the city’s landscape and erase the Arab and historic character of its markets and business districts.

One of the owners of the facilities, Younis Dwik, stressed that only the owners of the industrialist facilities are the ones who will confront this dangerous Judaization plan. He called on the international community to interfere to stop this plan which will change the historic and civilized features of the occupied al-Quds city [ Jerusalem].  

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) official Hanan Ashrawi has said that “Israel‘s focused and systematic plunder of occupied Jerusalem persists unabated, in violation of international law and proclaimed positions of states worldwide.”

“In addition to a sharp increase in home demolitions and the displacement of many families in Jerusalem during the COVID-19 pandemic, the illegal Israeli ‘municipality’ has unveiled its plans to demolish decades-old Palestinian industrial area in the Wad al-Joz neighborhood and replace it with a gentrified settler neighborhood with the flashy name of ‘Silicon Wadi’,” she wrote.

“This is an outrageous and criminal plan that will devastate 200 Palestinian businesses in the area and deprive hundreds of Palestinians of their sources of livelihood. It is a massive scheme that brings Israel’s displacement and replacement policy against the Palestinian people into sharp focus, especially in Jerusalem.”

Director of Maps Department in Arab Studies Association in the Occupied al-Quds Khalil al-Tafkaji made it clear that the Israeli occupation authorities seized 80 Palestinian houses in the old city and escalated their operations of demolishing houses as well as confiscated a large area of lands inside the walls of the old city.

“The occupation authorities plan to seize shops and real-estates in Bab al-Saherah, Bab al-Amod and Bab al-Asbat. Thus, the old city will be surrounded by settlements,” he added.

Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Research affirmed that the Israeli occupation authorities plan to demolish 88 houses in the districts of Salwan and al-Bistan in parallel with isolating other districts.

“The Israeli occupation forces closed 250 shops and trade companies in the old city,” the center added.  

The approval came as Israel proceeds with preparations to annex large swaths of the West Bank in line with the US-touted Mideast plan, which treats Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and endorses Israel’s longstanding policy of permanent occupation, colonialism and apartheid over the Palestinian people.

Basma Qaddour