Dangerous collapses due to excavations force the evacuation of three apartments belonging to the Abu Sbeih family in Silwan
The Abu Sbeih family was forcibly evicted from three of their homes in the town of Silwan in Jerusalem after serious collapses and cracks appeared in the houses and the surrounding area. These collapses were caused by ongoing Israeli excavations beneath the homes.
The family informed the Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Jerusalem that the cracks, fissures, and collapses started three days ago. They noticed gradual wall deterioration, one stone at a time, before a sudden collapse that expanded across the entire wall and extended into the building. Today, an entire room in one of the apartments collapsed.
The three apartments accommodate 18 people and are situated in a two-story building. The ground floor is directly impacted, while two apartments are located on the second floor.
The family confirmed that excavation work is ongoing directly beneath the houses. They mentioned that the Israeli municipality and police visited the site recently to assess the situation. However, following today's collapse, the municipality told the family it could not offer any assistance, despite parts of the collapsed wall being built by the municipality and others predating the occupation. Repairing the wall requires a permit from the municipality.
The family emphasized that the ongoing excavations have damaged and severely weakened the foundations, posing a risk of further collapse at any moment.
In the same context, the family described repeated attempts by settlers to purchase their home over the years, citing its proximity to the Silwan Spring. Nevertheless, they firmly refused to sell or vacate the house, stating, "Even if we sleep here, we won't leave."
The occupation municipality and the settlers are exchanging blame for the damage and collapses, while the family remains at risk of their apartments fully collapsing, with no real solutions or measures in place to protect the residents.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center stated that the cracks and collapses in the Abu Sbeih family homes are part of a broader pattern. Over recent years, many similar incidents have been documented, including wall and floor collapses, wall cracks, ground subsidence, and foundation damage. These issues are primarily caused by Israeli excavations beneath Silwan, especially in and around the Wadi Hilweh neighborhood, which is a key area for a network of tunnels beneath the town.
The center observed that residents call winter the "season of collapses' because the rains expose soil weakness and uncover excavations, worsening damage to homes and infrastructure.
