In a dramatic move planned by the security forces, a neighborhood in the northern Jerusalem area, home to hundreds of Israeli Arabs, will be blown up.

According to the plan, which was exposed here, a neighborhood in Kafr Aqab, located near Kalandia and outside the separation fence, will be completely demolished due to large-scale construction violations.

In recent months, this move, which until now has been kept in strict secrecy, has been formulated because of the concern of the parties involved that this will cause serious riots by the Arabs in the region.

No less than six buildings, each with at least six or seven stories, will be demolished, according to the order of the operation that was revealed. In the IDF, the Shin Bet security service and the police intend to use explosives that will lead to the collapse of all the buildings. This explosion could lead to extensive secondary waves, and perhaps also to the destruction of a mosque located in one of the houses, and therefore, officials plan to evacuate hundreds more residents living nearby.

A source familiar with the details of the program was quoted as saying that “this is the largest and most destructive demolition ever carried out in the region, to which Israeli law has hardly been enforced.

The mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, said: “The demolition orders were issued a few months ago to the skeletons of four structures that were built illegally and without permits, which were not populated at all, and even today most of them are not populated at all.”

“The courts, time after time, including the District Court and the Supreme Court, approved the demolition orders. The demolition of the illegal structures will enable the Jerusalem Municipality to pave a main road that will facilitate tens of thousands of residents every day”, the source added.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)