OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)
In the context of the continuous Israeli escalation in occupied Jerusalem, which includes intensifying incursions into al-Aqsa Mosque and expanding settlement control inside the Old City, the occupation government reopened expropriation order files dating back decades in the Bab al-Silsila neighborhood, in a step that portends a new wave of forced displacement and the seizure of historical Palestinian real estate adjacent to al-Aqsa Mosque.
The new Israeli move comes in light of the rising influence of right-wing and settlement currents within the occupation government, and its pursuit to impose rapid Judaization facts in Jerusalem, especially in the areas surrounding al-Aqsa, which form the center of the conflict over identity and sovereignty in the city.
The Bab al-Silsila neighborhood is considered one of the most sensitive and strategic locations inside the Old City in Jerusalem, given its location adjacent to the western wall of al-Aqsa Mosque, and being a main historical corridor connecting the Mosque and the vital markets in the Old City, in addition to its proximity to the Buraq Wall.
The importance of the neighborhood stems not only from its geographical location, but also from its historical and religious character, as it includes real estate and Islamic endowments dating back to the Ayyubid, Mamluk, and Ottoman eras, most notably the Tashtamuriyya School and the Khalidi Library, making its targeting part of attempts to erase the Arabic and Islamic character of the Old City.
The occupation also views the area as being of security importance, as it constitutes one of the points from which its forces launch raids during settlers’ incursions into al-Aqsa Mosque, while tightening control over it provides an additional “security depth” around the Mosque, alongside the pursuit to re-engineer the demographic composition in the Old City by dismantling the Palestinian human belt surrounding al-Aqsa.
According to what Palestinian media reported from Hebrew sources, the occupation government approved the formation of a joint committee headed by the Director General of the so-called “Ministry of Jerusalem and Jewish Tradition”, which includes representatives from the ministries of justice, finance, foreign affairs, and housing, in addition to the “Israel Land Authority”, the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem, and the “Company for the Reconstruction and Development of the Jewish Quarter”, to study the mechanisms for implementing the decision.
The decision focuses particularly on Bab al-Silsila Street, which forms a dividing line between the Islamic and Jewish quarters, and a main commercial and tourist route connecting Jaffa Gate and David’s Tower Square leading to the Buraq Square.
The committee is responsible for studying the legal and field status of the real estate whose confiscation procedures have not been completed based on the Mandatory Land Law of 1943, with the preparation of a plan to overcome legal, planning, and engineering obstacles within 12 months, based on a proposal submitted by the Israeli Minister of Justice Yariv Levin.
On the other hand, the legal advisor to the Israeli Ministry of Finance warned that accelerating the implementation of the decision without deep consultations could create significant legal complications.
The former Minister of Jerusalem and Heritage in the occupation government, Meir Porush, had signed, in July 2025, a decision to seize real estate in the Bab al-Silsila neighborhood, just one day before his resignation from his post.
Targeting the Palestinian presence
The Director of the Media Department in the Jerusalem Governorate, Omar Rujoub, said that the occupation authorities’ approval of the plan to seize Palestinian real estate adjacent to al-Aqsa Mosque represents a “dangerous colonial escalation” aimed at displacing Jerusalemite residents and strengthening settlement control over the vicinity of al-Aqsa.
Rujoub explained, in a press statement, that the decision comes in implementation of a previous recommendation issued by the former Minister of Jerusalem and Heritage, to revive a seizure decision dating back to 1968 under the pretext of “strengthening Jewish control and security” in the area.
He added that the plan targets between 15 and 20 historical Palestinian properties, while Israeli media estimated the number of targeted properties at about 50 properties, owned by Jerusalemite families and including historical buildings and Islamic endowments.
Rujoub stressed that the Bab al-Silsila neighborhood represents one of the most important corridors leading to al-Aqsa Mosque, and that its targeting falls within a systematic Israeli policy aimed at emptying the vicinity of al-Aqsa of its Palestinian residents and imposing new Judaization facts inside the Old City.
He pointed out that the area contains prominent historical landmarks, including the Tashtamuriyya School, noting that the occupation authorities seized about 116 dunums of Old City land in 1968 under the pretext of “public utility”, which formed a basis for expanding the so-called “Jewish Quarter” from five dunums before 1948 to about 133 dunums later, mostly through the confiscation of private Palestinian property.
Rujoub indicated that the original seizure decisions were issued just one year after the occupation and annexation of East Jerusalem, based on the recommendations of the then Attorney General of the occupation government, Meir Shamgar, while the management of the confiscated real estate was entrusted to the “Company for the Reconstruction and Development of the Jewish Quarter”.
He added that the occupation is trying to utilize Bab al-Silsila to increase the numbers of settler incursions into al-Aqsa Mosque, pointing to the use of this path during the recent period to reach the Jewish Quarter and carry out incursions.
A decision frozen for decades
For his part, the specialist in Jerusalem affairs, Consultant Medhat Deeba, said in statements to the “Wafa” agency that successive occupation governments refrained throughout the past decades from implementing the seizure decision for fear of its political, popular, and international repercussions, especially since all residents of the targeted real estate are Palestinians.
He added that the continuous possession of the real estate by the residents for more than five decades weakens the legal justifications for implementing the decision at present, explaining that the delay in implementation for 58 years raises serious questions regarding its legality and feasibility.
Deeba pointed out that the non-implementation of the decision since 1968 until today can be considered an implicit retreat from its primary goal, especially since Palestinian merchants continued to use and manage the real estate continuously throughout this period.
He considered that the current occupation government differs from its predecessors, in light of the rising influence of forces supporting settlement and the displacement of Palestinians within the ruling coalition, and its pursuit to revive colonial projects and decisions that were frozen for decades.
He explained that the occupation relies in its new attempt on the location of the real estate within the so-called “Jewish Quarter”, as well as the sensitive strategic location adjacent to al-Aqsa Mosque.
Deeba concluded by pointing out that the Company for the Reconstruction and Development of the Jewish Quarter officially submitted a request to the Israeli government to give it the green light to implement the seizure decision, by holding a special session to discuss the file, stressing that final approval has not been granted yet.