Israeli Forces Demolish Dozens of Facilities in Al-Eizariya, Despite Residents’ May Order

Israeli occupation forces began Monday evening demolishing dozens of industrial and commercial facilities in the Mushtal area of the town of Al-Eizariya southeast of occupied Jerusalem, with local sources cited by WAFA saying the bulldozers affected about 20 facilities by Monday evening.

Saba News reported that the demolitions continued despite a precautionary order held by residents stipulating that the shops should not be demolished until the middle of May, and said Israeli forces carried out the operations accompanied by military vehicles, firing sound bombs and gas towards citizens, and obstructing traffic in the area.

Al-Jazeera Net

SadaNews similarly said the occupation forces continued demolition operations accompanied by several vehicles, amid the firing of sound and gas bombs towards the citizens, and obstructing traffic in the area.

Both outlets tied the threatened removals to a plan to implement the Israeli annexation project called "E1," which they said would separate the northern West Bank from its southern part and swallow about 3 percent of the West Bank’s area for official annexation under the "Greater Quds" scheme.

While demolitions were described as ongoing, the Society of Saint Yves said it secured an urgent Israeli court order temporarily freezing demolition orders targeting around 50 commercial shops at the entrance to al-Eizariya on a temporary basis.

Anadolu Ajansı reported that lawyers "continued working without interruption in defense of residents" and said the Jerusalem Governorate had verbally notified about 50 Palestinians to evacuate their shops and commercial facilities in the al-Mashtal area before Sunday morning.

Anadolu Ajansı

Middle East Monitor said the Israeli High Court temporarily suspended demolition orders targeting around 50 commercial establishments in Al-Eizariya, after lawyers Nusrat Dakour and Haitham Khatib submitted an urgent appeal that resulted in an immediate court decision postponing the demolitions.

Saba News also described verbal notification days earlier, saying Israeli enemy authorities had verbally notified about 50 Palestinian citizens days ago of the need to vacate their shops and commercial facilities in the Al Mushtal area at the main entrance to the town.

The sources described the demolitions and threatened removals as part of a broader annexation and settlement-linked plan, with WAFA and SadaNews saying the threatened shops were tied to the "E1" project and the "Greater Jerusalem" or "Greater Quds" scheme.

WAFA said the project’s implications include entrenching a discriminatory traffic system that would bar Palestinians from using the main Route 1 road and instead force them to use an underground tunnel near the al-Za’ayem military checkpoint, while reserving the surface road exclusively for colonists.

SadaNews added that the plan would isolate the communities of Jabal Baba, Wadi Al-Jamal, and the town of Al-Eizariya, while threatening the demolition and eviction of dozens of facilities that had recently received no less than 43 notices in preparation for the expansion of the project.

In the same reporting stream, WAFA said the Jerusalem Governorate stated the demolitions were carried out despite a precautionary court order obtained by local residents prohibiting demolition of the shops until mid-May, and said Israeli forces deployed several military vehicles, fired sound bombs and tear gas at residents, and obstructed traffic movement.