Israel has been a gold mine of archaeological finds connected to Biblical history. The City of David archaeological site has been a source of incredible finds and increased efforts by the country to cultivate the area for historical preservation and tourism. The push, however, has led to controversy as parts of the intended area for preservation are currently settled by Palestinian residents in East Jerusalem. Jerusalem has been a deeply disputed area since even before the establishment of the Israeli state in 1948. At the time of the UN partition plan in 1947, Jerusalem was proposed to be a separate international city, however that changed in 1948 after Israel declared its independence and the city was divided into eastern and western sections following the 1949 armistice agreement, with Israel controlling the western half while Jordan controlled the eastern half. Israel gained full control of the city in 1967 after the Six Day war. East Jerusalem has remained a disputed area since, with Palestinian residents seeing Israel as occupiers, while Israel maintains it has legal control of the area.

Because East Jerusalem contains the Old City, much of that area is being renovated by Israel for historical preservation. However, it is also the site of over 100 Palestinian homes. Israeli courts have ordered the demolition of these homes, citing that residents never received permits to build them in the first place. Residents, however, complain that obtaining permits has been notoriously difficult. “When it was built in 1970, there were no permits. We have tried every legal avenue,” complained Mohammed Qwaider. His mother, 97-year-old Yusra Qwaider, is facing the demolition of her home of more than 50 years. Some of the homes have stood in the area for decades, with residents claiming demolition orders have escalated since October 7 attacks on an Israeli concert by Hamas operatives. This leaves many residents with the choice of fighting the courts, which can lead to tens of thousands of dollars in fines and court fees, or “self-demolishing” their home in order to avoid costly demolition fees.

The result is a PR nightmare for Israeli officials, with Israeli support already diminishing amongst its international allies. A quick search of the demolition returns results about Israeli “occupiers” and demolition being carried out “with impunity.” The stories of loss are meant to target sympathy for displaced Palestinians- aged grandmothers and grandfathers being left without homes and a means of survival by a relentless occupying force. Meanwhile, AFP officials insist they have tried to find a solution without any assistance from the residents. “For years the municipality attempted to find a solution for the residents that would also include an alternative housing solution, but they did not demonstrate serious intentions to reach an agreement.”