Israel Uses Six Dangerous Tools to Annex Jerusalem

Israel continues to implement a range of measures to consolidate its control over occupied East Jerusalem, with the stated goal of gradually altering the city's demographic and geographic composition to favor Jewish colonization and settlement projects. Experts and Palestinian officials, speaking to Aljazeera, identified several key instruments Israel utilizes.

These tactics encompass the destruction of Palestinian homes, the expansion of illegal settlements, land seizures, and the construction of a separation wall and military checkpoints. Additionally, Israel builds infrastructure and roads specifically for settlers and pursues the expulsion of Palestinian communities. The process also involves land ownership certification and reorganization.

The village of Rafat serves as a stark illustration of these combined policies. Once an extension of Jerusalem to its northwest, the village became isolated following the construction of the Israeli Separation Wall in 2002. The wall encircles Rafat on three sides, severing its connections to the surrounding Jerusalem area and leaving only one access route to the city of Ramallah.

Recent demolitions underscore the ongoing pressure. Last week, Israeli forces razed a modest two-room house with a kitchen and bathroom without prior notice. Two other structures received demolition warning letters, including a fenced, open-air plot, with Israeli building regulations cited as the reason.