The occupation municipality issued on April 05, 2017 an order to evacuate and close five apartments owned by Aweidah family in the neighborhood of Wadi Hilweh in Silwan after cracks and landslides have significantly increased in the house and its foundations due to excavation works underneath.

The affected apartments belong to the following people:

Citizen Hamed explained that the apartments were built in the sixties of the past century, meaning that before the occupation of Jerusalem. In 2007, cracks in walls and landslides appeared due to the Israeli excavations beneath the neighborhood. Rain water started to leak into the house and pipelines were destroyed due to the shakings underground.

He also family confirmed that excavation works underneath their houses increased in the last week in an unprecedented manner. Sounds of machines were clearly heard and lasted for several hours every day. Cracks reached 10cm in width. The family added that they called the police that day which requested municipality crews to check the apartments. The team checked the apartments and ordered them evacuated due to the danger they may inflect on residents.

Next day , municipality’s engineers checked the apartments and issued an urgent decision to evacuate and close the houses. They considered them as “dangerous buildings” and warned the family not to stay inside. Engineers said that in case the family didn’t leave the houses, a fine of 3200 INS will be imposed on them.

The family sought attorney Sami Irsheid to follow up on the case. He confirmed that proceedings will take place by the time the Israeli Passover ends.

Land Research Center- Arab Studies Society, through field research and testimonies, documented similar cases of cracks and collapse in the neighborhood of Al-Qarmi ,Hosh Osila and the western passage to Al-Aqsa mosque. The occupation always denies such cases, which cause buildings to collapse as in the case of the houses of many families namely (Hamu, Murar and Idkeidik).

Therefore, the occupation’s municipality is held responsible of the following:

• All physical and other losses that followed affected people
• Rehabilitation and re-construction of every affected structure
• Closing the tunnels that are opened below Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem.
• Guaranteeing the right to proper and safe accommodation for all Palestinian residing in Jerusalem according to Geneva Convention

Views of cracks in the affected houses

The evacuation order served on Aweidah family

This case study is part of Kan'aan Project