Israel Plans Sunday Vote to Seize 20 Palestinian Properties Near Al-Aqsa Mosque
Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate warns Israeli authorities will approve plan Sunday to seize properties in Bab al-Silsila neighborhood adjacent to Islam's third holiest site.
Israeli authorities plan to approve Sunday a seizure of approximately 20 Palestinian properties in the Bab al-Silsila neighborhood directly adjacent to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, according to warnings issued Saturday by the Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate.
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The targeted properties include buildings and Islamic religious endowments dating back to the Ayyubid, Mamluk, and Ottoman periods. Israeli plans call for displacing Palestinian residents and evicting commercial shops to expand settlements in the historic area.
Strategic Location Raises Stakes
The Bab al-Silsila neighborhood serves as one of the most important entrances to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Islam's third holiest site. Palestinian officials view the seizure as part of broader efforts to establish Jewish control within Jerusalem's Old City while emptying the area surrounding Al-Aqsa of Palestinian residents.
The governorate described the move as a "dangerous colonial escalation" that opens the door to expanded forced displacement and tighter Israeli control over historic Palestinian properties in the heart of the Old City.
This seizure represents the latest escalation in a pattern of Israeli property confiscations across East Jerusalem. In recent years, Israel and settlement organizations have intensified their takeover of Palestinian properties in the Old City, Sheikh Jarrah, and Silwan neighborhoods through eviction orders and ownership claims.
International Law and US Interests
The United Nations considers all Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories illegal under international law. UN officials warn that continued settlement expansion undermines prospects for a two-state solution that has been the cornerstone of US Middle East policy for decades.
Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations accuse Israeli authorities of systematically restricting Palestinian construction permits in East Jerusalem while simultaneously expanding illegal settlements throughout the city.
The property seizures create additional friction in a region where American troops remain deployed and where escalating tensions can quickly spiral into broader conflicts that draw in US allies and adversaries. Palestinians consider East Jerusalem the capital of their future state, while Israel claims the entire city as its unified capital.
Sunday's expected approval will test whether international pressure can slow Israel's settlement expansion in one of the most sensitive religious sites in the world. The outcome could signal how aggressively Israel plans to pursue territorial changes that complicate American diplomatic efforts in the region.
