Under the pretext of an ancient cemetery.. Israeli restrictions isolate about 20 families in Silwan

The Israeli 'Heverat Kadisha' association continues to impose restrictions on the access of about 20 Palestinian families to their homes in Silwan, occupied Jerusalem, under the pretext of an ancient Jewish cemetery, where it erected an iron barrier blocking the only road to the neighborhood. Residents deny the existence of graves, citing historical photos and previous excavation work.

Restrictive measures against Palestinians in the Silwan neighborhood of occupied Jerusalem continue, as the Israeli 'Heverat Kadisha' association imposed restrictions on the access of about 20 families to their homes, under the pretext of an ancient Jewish cemetery in the area. The association erected an iron barrier blocking a large part of a dirt parking lot adjacent to the Sambuski cemetery, cutting off the only road used by the families to reach their homes. According to a report published by Haaretz on Wednesday, the barrier was erected about a month ago, after workers accompanied by a police force arrived and installed an iron gate at the entrance to the lot. Residents deny the existence of any graves at the site, citing historical photos and previous excavation work carried out by the occupation municipality, stressing that the lot constitutes the only entrance to the neighborhood they have lived in for many years, and they use it for parking and bringing in basic necessities. The residents fear that the closure will completely isolate them, especially given the roughness of other entrances that include stairs and steep slopes, making access to homes difficult for the elderly and people with disabilities.