Jerusalem: The Jerusalem Affairs Department of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) has condemned the demolition by Israeli authorities of three residential buildings in Kafr Aqab, a town located north of occupied Jerusalem.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency, the department described the demolitions as part of a systematic colonial policy aimed at undermining the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem. The department accused Israeli authorities of attempting to reshape the demographic and geographic reality of the city to align with their colonial objectives.
In a press release, the department highlighted that these demolitions are no longer justified by administrative or legal pretexts. Instead, they are now a central strategy to depopulate Jerusalem of its Palestinian residents by denying them housing rights and imposing conditions that lead to forced displacement or silent emigration.
The department pointed out that this demolition coincides with an escalation in actions targeting Jerusalem. These actions include colonial expansion, land confiscation, increased incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, and additional restrictions on Jerusalemites. The department sees these measures as a comprehensive effort to impose new realities on the ground, altering the historical, legal, and demographic character of the city.
Further, the department emphasized that targeting areas like Kafr Aqab, especially those behind the separation wall and near expansionist settlements, signifies a clear Israeli intent to redraw Jerusalem's demographic map. This, they assert, is aligned with plans to consolidate the illegal annexation of the city, a violation of international law and United Nations resolutions that recognize East Jerusalem as part of the occupied Palestinian territory.
The department reiterated that the policies of demolition, forced eviction, and land confiscation are blatant violations of international law, threatening the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem and undermining the resilience of its residents.
The department called upon the United Nations, the European Union, and influential countries to take practical and deterrent measures against these actions, moving beyond statements of condemnation. They urged for international protection for Jerusalemites and accountability for Israeli violations.
The department concluded by asserting that a serious international stance is required to protect Jerusalem and halt the forceful imposition of new facts on the ground.