Features|Israel-Palestine conflict‘Enormous pain in my heart’: Palestinian evictions mount in East JerusalemLegal appeals by Palestinians facing largest-scale evictions in occupied East Jerusalem since 1967 were denied in the new year.
On January 12, 2026, the Israeli Supreme Court dismissed final appeals from 150 Palestinians across 28 families in the Batn al-Hawa neighborhood of Silwan, East Jerusalem. These families face eviction from their homes, affecting approximately 700…
On January 12, 2026, the Israeli Supreme Court dismissed final appeals from 150 Palestinians across 28 families in the Batn al-Hawa neighborhood of Silwan, East Jerusalem. These families face eviction from their homes, affecting approximately 700 residents across 84 families. The eviction, as per Israeli NGO Ir Amim, represents the largest coordinated displacement of Palestinians from a single neighborhood in East Jerusalem since 1967.
The Israeli execution office under the Ministry of Justice issued official letters to the families, requiring them to vacate their homes within 21 days. This action follows a pattern of forced displacements that have accelerated in recent months. Twenty-four homes belonging to the extended Rajabi family are included in the eviction orders, impacting 250 individuals.
Historical Context and Legal Framework
In the 19th century, Yemeni Jews settled in the area now known as Batn al-Hawa. After periods of violence in the 1920s and 1930s, these families vacated the neighborhood, and the land was subsequently owned by local Palestinians. The Israeli courts resurrected the Benvenisti Trust in 2001, appointing representatives from the settler organization Ateret Cohanim. This trust claimed rights to 5.5 dunums of land in Batn al-Hawa, despite no direct connection to the original Yemeni Jewish community.
Israeli laws allow the reinstatement of Jewish-owned lands vacated before and after the 1948 war to Israeli control post-1967, while similar rights are denied to Palestinians who lost homes in 1948 and 1967. This legal framework has facilitated the eviction processes currently underway.
On January 12, 2026, the Israeli Supreme Court dismissed final appeals from 150 Palestinians across 28 families in the Batn al-Hawa neighborhood of Silwan, East Jerusalem.
Ateret Cohanim has offered to purchase homes in Batn al-Hawa but faced widespread refusal from local residents. The organization has since progressed through Israeli courts to assert control over the land and its buildings, resulting in the current eviction notices.
Investigations by the Israeli Registrar of Charitable Trusts into the Benvenisti Trust, controlled by Ateret Cohanim, revealed multiple irregularities, including financial activities conducted through Ateret Cohanim's bank accounts. Despite this, eviction efforts have continued unabated.
Zuheir Rajabi, leader of the Batn al-Hawa community council, expressed exhaustion over the prolonged legal battles, which have spanned over a decade. Families in the neighborhood have spent significant resources in court attempts to reverse or delay eviction proceedings. As evictions proceed, community and family bonds are increasingly strained.
Residents face uncertainty regarding relocation, as housing costs in East Jerusalem are prohibitive for many low-income families. The situation remains unresolved, with families continuing to seek legal remedies against the backdrop of ongoing evictions.
Based on reporting by Al Jazeera.
