Israel’s High Court has ordered the forced eviction of Palestinian residents from the Batn al-Hawa area of Silwan in occupied East Jerusalem. The court also directed that the properties be transferred to Israeli settlers, according to Middle East Monitor. The ruling has raised fears among Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem of further forced displacement.

Silwan, located near Jerusalem’s Old City, has long been a focal point of Israeli settlement activity and demolition policies. Thousands of Palestinians live in the area, which has seen accelerated house demolitions and evictions. In the nearby al-Bustan neighborhood, Israel plans to build a park called “King’s Garden,” demolishing dozens of homes and threatening many more.

Human rights organizations have stated that Israel’s actions in Silwan are part of a broader policy aimed at displacing Palestinian residents. East Jerusalem remains surrounded by concrete walls and barbed wire, much of it built on West Bank land. Israel claims the barrier is for security, while Palestinians and the United Nations view it as part of a land seizure strategy.