Wed 5-February-2025

Warnings of serious consequences of the Silicon Valley settler project in Jerusalem

Thursday 16-January-2025

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)

The Israeli occupation municipality in Jerusalem, in collaboration with the so-called Ministry of Jerusalem Affairs, has begun implementing the first phase of the Silicon Valley settlement project in the Wadi al-Joz neighborhood of occupied Jerusalem. This comes amid warnings about the implications of this colonial project, which aims to confiscate more land in Jerusalem and impact Palestinian commercial interests.

Last week, the Local Committee for Planning and Construction announced the confiscation of land for the purpose of developing the main street for the project, which includes the demolition of at least 18 commercial buildings, resulting in dozens of Jerusalemite workers losing their livelihoods.

Ongoing Israeli land seizures
Ziad al-Hamouri, director of the Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights, confirmed in statements that what the occupation authorities are doing in Jerusalem—seizing land and colonization—contradicts all international laws. He pointed out that the occupation authorities are attempting to seize land under Israeli law, which is considered illegal.

Al-Hamouri explained that the occupation authorities are trying to seize land in Jerusalem under various claims (land registration, permits, public interest, and absentee property laws), clearly exploiting Israeli laws in land seizure operations and other violations against Palestinian citizens and their properties.

He added that Israeli plans are not new in Jerusalem, as the occupying state has sought from the beginning to annex the city by seizing 87% of its area, comprising “green lands,” settlements, and more, and continues to work on seizing the remaining 13% by various means for the benefit of colonial projects.

Al-Hamouri noted that the Silicon Valley project, which the occupation authorities aim to establish, consists of a street 20 meters wide and is expected to consume up to 2,000 dunums of land in the Wadi al-Joz neighborhood, leading to the demolition of hundreds of commercial establishments owned by residents of the neighborhood.

He stated that the occupation authorities, through their actions against Jerusalemites and their properties, aim to pressure them to leave the city. He pointed out that the number of Palestinians in East Jerusalem is about 320,000, compared to 220,000 settlers. The occupation seeks to bring in 350,000 settlers to East Jerusalem while reducing the number of Jerusalemites to 100,000 to achieve an Israeli demographic majority in the occupied city, turning Palestinians into a minority.

Al-Hamouri emphasized the importance of strengthening the resilience of Jerusalemites in their land by providing life necessities, especially housing, through affordable housing to protect them from the occupation’s displacement plans, along with providing assistance in all areas to enable them to live amid high prices, excessive taxes, and rising rents, which place Jerusalemite citizens at risk of poverty.

The colonial Silicon Valley project extends along Wadi al-Joz Road and Othman ibn Affan Street, and buildings of 8 to 14 floors will be constructed on the rubble of commercial and industrial shops in the industrial area of Jerusalem in Wadi al-Joz.

Most of the targeted lands are classified as privately owned Palestinian property and have been used for decades to operate workshops and commercial centers within the so-called industrial zone. The project also includes the establishment of infrastructure linking the area with western Jerusalem through the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, thereby connecting more settlers to East Jerusalem, as Wadi al-Joz is one of the closest neighborhoods to the walls of Jerusalem.

Land and commercial interests at stake
The project will seize about 2,000 dunums of Palestinian land in the Wadi al-Joz neighborhood. Plans are also underway to confiscate 29 dunums of land in the neighborhood for the purpose of building a street 1.5 kilometers long.

During the year 2024, occupation bulldozers demolished 6 commercial establishments in the industrial area and issued demolition notices to about 200 other establishments.

The Jerusalem Governorate indicates that the Silicon Valley project not only threatens Palestinian land but also puts many commercial interests in the industrial area at risk of demolition, which have been a source of livelihood for hundreds of Palestinian families for decades. The street will extend to the Karam al-Jaouni neighborhood in Sheikh Jarrah, leading to the seizure of additional spaces, which will result in the demolition of most commercial shops in the area.

In its annual report monitoring violations of occupation during the past year, the Jerusalem Governorate documented the occupation’s seizure of hundreds of dunums. On February 6, the occupation authorities seized land near the “Friday Market” adjacent to the northeastern side of the walls of Jerusalem, initiating excavation and leveling work in preparation for the implementation of a park as part of the “Gardens around the Old Town Wall” project. The land, measuring 1,200 square meters, belongs to the Awis, Hamad, and Attallah families.

Warnings Since 2022
The Palestinian Coalition for Rights in Jerusalem warned since 2022 that the implementation of the Israeli plan known as Silicon Valley in Wadi al-Joz in occupied Jerusalem would “steal 2000 dunums of land owned by Palestinians and demolish about 200 establishments, car repair shops, restaurants, and other services.”

The coalition warned in a statement at the time that the implementation of the project “would consolidate Jewish control in Jerusalem, completely ignoring the original inhabitants.”

It added, “The project ignores the economic, social, and cultural rights of Palestinians in Jerusalem. Moreover, the Israeli occupation municipality has not met with any of the local Palestinian residents working in the industrial area to provide any alternatives, while shop owners have little or no information about the nature of the projects that will be established despite their current existence.”

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