13 Palestinian families who received Israeli orders to self-demolish their homes in the Al-Bustan quarter in the occupied Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan some 21 days earlier are the risk of homelessness.

Earlier this month, the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem handed over notifications of renewal of house demolition notices belonging to 13 families in Al-Bustan. These homes are among 86 homes against which the Israeli occupation courts had issued demolition orders.

The Israeli municipality has threatened to demolish the 13 houses after the deadline and to fine their owners.

The move makes part of Israel’s policy of ethnic cleansing against Palestinians in neighborhoods near Al-Aqsa Mosque in an attempt to change the demographic structure and increase the number of settlers in Jerusalem.