'Israeli forces arrived before sunrise on Monday, 13 February to demolish a newly completed community facility that residents refer to as a cultural café in the Wadi Hilweh area of Silwan in occupied East Jerusalem. The bulldozers arrived without any prior warning. The Israeli-controlled Jerusalem municipality and the National Parks Authority carried out the demolition with Israeli police officers closing off the street and even preventing some nearby families to leave their homes while the demolition was underway.

Palestinians living in Silwan and other areas of occupied East Jerusalem are facing increased attacks from the Israeli authorities and Israeli settlers. Life for these Palestinian families is now complicated by endless legal battles and fear of the future. Simple things like living in their homes, sending their children to school, and creating spaces for kids to play can’t be taken for granted as homes are given over to Israeli settlers or threatened with demolition, as children as young as six are picked up by Israeli police for interrogation, and as community centers are destroyed.'

Read more: Israeli Forces Destroy 'the Only Place for Children in Silwan'