Tag: Wadi Hilweh

Jerusalem: Sumarin family receives news that eviction is temporarily delayed

by Wahed Rejol

28 November 2011 | International Solidarity Movement, West Bank

Today in the Wadi Hilweh neighborhood of Silwan, the Sumarin family awaited a ruling from Israeli court on the pending eviction from their home.

Members of the Sumarin family awaits court decision with solidarity activists from Japan, Sweden, Spain, US, and Israel.

Israeli news reported this week that the current eviction set for this week had been delayed. But according to the family, their attorney had not yet received an official ruling. Until today.

According to the Wadi Hilweh Information Center, approximately 60% of the houses have received demolition notices in Silwan – a town in East Jerusalem with a population of 55,000 Palestinians. The Elad Association is a wholly owned subsidiary of the American nonprofit Jewish National Fund which is working to evict and destroy Palestinian homes to make way for the expansive City of David excavation project.

Twelve family members including five children currently live in the Sumarin family home. Today international activists from the International Solidarity Movement and other solidarity groups joined the family outside the home in protest of the eviction. A twenty-four hour presence was planned until the eviction was postponed or canceled.

At approximately 2 PM the family received news that the eviction had been postponed. The Jewish National Fund is expected to submit a subsequent appeal to continue the eviction process. This is expected to take at least 2 months, although the family expects another response within the next three weeks.

Wahed Rejol is a volunteer with International Solidarity Movement (name has been changed).

Two Silwan residents shot dead by settlement guards

22 September 2010 | Wadi Hilweh Information Center – Silwan

Update: only one man was killed in Silwan. More people were injured but not killed by gunshots.

Massive army presence as clashes continue in Baten el-Hawa, next to Beit Yonathan settlement.

Very early this morning in Silwan Village, a patrol of private armed guards stopped near a group of unarmed Palestinian men who were on the Wadi Hilweh Street. According to eyewitness reports, the guards spoke provocatively to the Palestinians, and an argument took place between them. It was during the verbal argument that eyewitnesses say the settlement guards opened fire on the Palestinian men. The two injured were brought to Ein Kerem hospital. One of the Palestinians, Samer Sarhan, who is a father of five young children, was pronounced dead immediately upon arrival to the hospital. The second man is now confirmed as having died.

After confirmation was received of the first Palestinian death from Silwan, clashes erupted in the village and are continuing. There are reports of numerous injuries, although the number of injured people is unknown. There is a massive force of police and army personnel in the village, and the entire street has been cordoned off by officials. Helicopters are monitoring the area from overhead.

SilwanIC will be posting updates on the story.