Israeli occupation issues 23 demolition notices east of Quds amid sharp surge in 2026 violations

OCCUPIED QUDS, Feb. 23 (YPA) – Israeli occupation authorities issued 23 new demolition notices on Monday, targeting residential and agricultural structures in the “Umm al-Shakhalib” area of Abu Dis, east of Quds (Jerusalem).

The move threatens dozens of Palestinian citizens with displacement and the loss of their primary livelihoods.

The Quds Governorate’s administration reported a dangerous escalation in January 2026, with 62 notices issued for demolition, evacuation, and seizure. The report also documented 70 demolitions in the Al-Matar neighborhood as part of the so-called “Jerusalem Shield” operation, marking one of the largest mass demolition campaigns in recent history.

These measures follow a year of intense escalation; according to the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, 1,400 structures were destroyed last year, and nearly 1,000 additional demolition notices were issued, reflecting a persistent policy to alter the demographic and geographic reality of the region.

YPA