Knocked down and locked out
An entire neighbourhood in East Jerusalem is scheduled to be demolished, and hundreds will be left homeless.
Angela Godfrey-Goldstein has been documenting the story of 88 homes in East Jerusalem facing demolition. The city authorities plan to demolish an entire neighbourhood - currently housing 1,000 people - in the el-Bustan area of Silwan village in East Jerusalem, close to the walls of the Old City.
'The Cherry in the Crown would be the largest single demolition of Palestinian homes within Jerusalem since 1967'
The reason, according to the City Engineer, Uri Shitreet, is that the houses were illegally built upon the site where King David first established his kingdom. Now the city plans to open an archaeological park on the site, so and the residents - some of whom have lived here for 50 years - are being forced out.
Wrecking ball
If it goes forward, the demolition operation, code-named The Cherry in the Crown would be the largest single demolition of Palestinian homes within Jerusalem since 1967.
'...the Mayor of Jerusalem said he had postponed the decision, but the demolition orders have not yet been recalled...'
While the village of Silwan has existed for many years, the earliest houses in this neighbourhood date from the 1940s and '50s. Most, though, were built in the 1980s and early 1990s, on private land belonging to Silwan villagers. The first 64 houses facing the wrecking ball have already received demolition orders.
Frequency doesn't stop tragedy
On June 7 the Mayor of Jerusalem said he had postponed the decision, but the demolition orders have not yet been recalled. House demolitions are common throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories, but they are no less tragic for the frequency with which they occur.
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Soft focus, hard cell
Who has the phones?
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Soft focus, hard cell
Who has the phones?
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