Jerusalem:The Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs has issued a strong condemnation of the ongoing forced home demolitions being carried out by Israeli authorities in occupied Jerusalem. The committee denounced these actions as coercive measures that force Palestinian families to demolish their own homes.
According to Jordan News Agency, the Committee's Secretary-General, Abdullah Kanaan, expressed deep concern over these systematic practices, which he claims are aimed at changing the demographic and geographical landscape of the Holy City and displacing its indigenous Arab population. A recent example highlighted was the forced evacuation of Palestinian families in the Wad Qaddum neighborhood of Silwan, illustrating the humanitarian distress faced by these families.
Kanaan pointed out that the policy of "self-demolition," where homeowners are pressured to dismantle their properties or face heavy administrative fines, constitutes a significant violation of human rights. This policy is seen as an attempt to undermine Palestinian resilience, especially in areas like Silwan and around the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.
Statistics from the Royal Committee for Jerusalem Affairs indicate that 3,917 Palestinian homes have been demolished in occupied Jerusalem from 1967 through October 1, 2026. The committee has raised alarms over the increasing number of demolitions reported in the first half of this year, urging international intervention to hold Israeli authorities accountable under international humanitarian law and to protect Palestinian rights to shelter and a dignified life.
Kanaan emphasized that the issue of Jerusalem is not just a matter of real estate or architecture but is central to the national, historical, and civilizational identity of the Palestinian people, tied to their right to their land and sanctities. The Committee rejected any unilateral actions that aim to alter the city's legal, historical, and demographic status.
The committee reaffirmed Jordan's unwavering commitment, under King Abdullah II's leadership, to defend Jerusalem's Islamic and Christian holy sites, support the resilience of its Arab residents, and uphold the Palestinian people's legitimate rights to establish an independent state on the June 4, 1967 lines, with East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with the two-state solution.
Jordan’s historic Hashemite Custodianship over Jerusalem's holy sites is underscored as a crucial religious and national duty to maintain the city's legal status and resist efforts to alter its Arab and spiritual identity. The committee called on the United Nations, human rights organizations, and the international community to fulfill their legal and moral responsibilities by stopping forced evictions, safeguarding Jerusalemites, and enforcing international resolutions for a just and lasting peace.