6 Most Dangerous Instruments Used by Israel to Annex Jerusalem

Israel continues to utilise various methods to tighten its grip on occupied East Jerusalem. The objective is not merely to control the territory, but also to gradually alter the city’s demographic and geographic composition to serve the interests of colonisation and Jewish settlement projects.

According to experts and Palestinian officials interviewed by Al Jazeera, there are several key instruments being used by Israel, ranging from the destruction of Palestinian homes, the expansion of illegal settlements, land seizures, the construction of separation walls and military checkpoints, the development of infrastructure and roads specifically for settlers, the expulsion of Palestinian communities, to projects involving land certification and the restructuring of land ownership.

The village of Rafat serves as a clear example of how these various policies are being implemented simultaneously. Previously, Rafat was a natural extension of the Jerusalem area to the northwest. However, since the construction of the Israeli Separation Wall in 2002, the village has been transformed into an isolated area.

The wall surrounds Rafat from three sides, severing the village’s connection to the surrounding Jerusalem environs and leaving only a single access point towards the city of Ramallah.

The latest wave of destruction occurred last week when Israeli forces demolished a simple two-bedroom house, including a kitchen and bathroom, without prior notice. Additionally, two other structures have received demolition warning notices, including a plot of land containing a structure without a roof, fencing, or metal mesh, citing violations of Israeli-imposed building regulations.