Israeli Forces Demolish Palestinian Al-Bustan Community Center in Jerusalem

The Al-Bustan Community Center was founded in 1998 and served as a hub for the Palestinian community in Silwan. The center offered a range of services, including education, healthcare, social support, and cultural activities. It was also home to a library, a computer lab, and a community center for women and children.

The center was demolished by Israeli forces on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. The demolition was carried out without warning and left dozens of families and businesses displaced. The Israeli military claimed that the center was built without a permit, but local residents and human rights groups say that the demolition was part of a broader campaign by Israel to displace Palestinians from East Jerusalem.

The demolition of the Al-Bustan Community Center is a reminder of the ongoing struggle for Palestinian rights in Jerusalem and the wider occupied territories. Israel has been accused of carrying out a systematic campaign of ethnic cleansing in East Jerusalem, aimed at driving Palestinians out of the city and replacing them with Jewish settlers.

The Israeli government has denied these accusations, but the evidence suggests otherwise. Since 1967, Israel has demolished thousands of Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem and has transferred hundreds of thousands of Palestinians out of the city. This has led to a dramatic change in the demographic makeup of East Jerusalem, which is now majority Jewish.

The demolition of the Al-Bustan Community Center is part of this broader campaign. The center was a vital hub for the Palestinian community in Silwan and its demolition has left a huge void in the lives of local residents.

The international community must condemn the demolition of the Al-Bustan Community Center and call on Israel to end its illegal occupation of East Jerusalem.