Lod: More than 70 families in the al-Mahatta neighborhood of Lod, in the 1948 territories, are facing the threat of eviction and demolition of their homes after receiving orders from Israeli authorities giving them short deadlines, in some cases no more than a week, under the pretext of 'seizing state land.'
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, residents have stated that their families have lived in the neighborhood since before the establishment of Israel and that their homes hold nearly a century of memories. They have expressed their refusal to leave and warned that the eviction and demolition orders pave the way for uprooting the neighborhood's residents and taking over its land for the benefit of what is known as the 'Torah nucleus.'
The residents further explained that these measures are part of ongoing policies aimed at pressuring them to leave their homes in preparation for taking over their land. They have rejected the demolition and eviction orders and have called for comprehensive and just solutions that would guarantee their right to remain in their homes.
Residents have also noted that they have lived in the neighborhood for decades amid difficult living conditions and deteriorating infrastructure, saying the current measures come after years of neglect and restrictions. One resident described what is happening in al-Mahatta as 'ethnic cleansing' by the Israeli authorities.
He added that the neighborhood suffers from a 'systematic policy of neglect,' despite being located in the central area and in one of the largest cities. He warned that the distribution of eviction orders threatens to uproot residents from their homes, expressing concern that the measures could be aimed at establishing settlement units for the benefit of the so-called 'Torah nucleus.'
The residents reaffirmed their attachment to their homes and their refusal to leave, calling for the eviction and demolition orders to be halted and for an end to policies threatening their presence and the future of the neighborhood.