October 3 2018, “Ir David Foundation” also known as “Elad” took over a residential building and a plot in Wad Al-Hilweh quarter / south Al-Aqsa mosque. The building and the plot belong to Fatiha family, they immigrated to the USA 30 years ago and rented out the house to Al-Meswada family. “Ir David Foundation” claim that they bought the plot and the building from their owners in the USA.

The building is reported to have an area of 120 m² and contains 2 apartments (60 m² each), on an 800 m² land.

Ashraf Maswadeh – one of the householders- told LRC observer:

In the early morning hours settlers from “Ir David Foundation” and the Israeli occupation army broke into our building and forced us out, the apartments are inhabited by 2 families, one of them consists of 4 members with 2 children, the other consists of 3 members with one child.

Once ‘Ir David” settlers took over the building, they implanted a metal gate on the main entry, the occupation army stayed in the location to protect them while they move their properties inside it.

Colonial fopundations like “Ir David” and “Atteret Cohanim” are very active in Jerusalem, and use different means to take over properties in the old city and Silwan, Such foundations are supported by the successive far-right Israeli government, This impose a great threaten on the cultural heritage Jerusalem.

This case study is part of Kan'aan Project