Silwan: Israel mobilizing forces for eviction of non-violent leader

Adnan Gheith, a member of the Al-Bustan Neighborhood Committee and a dignitary of Silwan, was officially notified today that an order expelling him from Jerusalem will come into effect at 5 PM today. The order is not part of a judicial process, does not include charges and is based on secret material. An appeal for an injunction will be filed at the Israeli High Court later today. The order will come into force on the very day of the eviction of a Silwan house, and the planned installment of a new settlement there.

Adnan Gheith’s Lawyer, Adv. Rami Othman, received a fax from the Home Office Command’s legal advisor today, notifying him that the objections he filed against Gheith’s deportation were denied. The letter informed that the order expelling Gheith from Greater Jerusalem will become effective 5 PM today. As Othman is preparing an appeal to the Israeli High Court, police forces are gathering amass near Silwan in order to evict the al-Nabb family from their home in the Batten el-Hawa neighborhood in Silwan for the installment of a new Jewish settlement there.

The conjunction of events affirms Silwan’s residents fears that the expulsion order against Gheith is indeed aimed at pacifying legitimate protest, political activity and grassroots activism. On November 28th, at the peak of three months of political persecution and intimidation which included arrests, harassments and repeated  threats, Adnan Gheith was summoned to yet another of many investigations at the police station at the Russian Compound in Jerusalem. Once Gheith – a 34 year-old and one of the leaders of the struggle against home demolition plans in Silwan – appeared at the police station as required, he was served with a letter informing him that the security authorities had presented the Minister of Internal Security with evidence concerning his activity in the Jerusalem area and that the Military Commander intends to expel him from Jerusalem and its surroundings for a four months period.

+972′s Mairav Zonszein just posted a report about the possibility of joint struggle in Silwan. Israelis are now mobilizing in solidarity with Silwan and plan to spend the night in the village. Haaretz and other Israeli news outlets are reporting the build up of forces. I will be on the ground, as usual, tweeting events as they are unfolding. You can visit my tweeter account here. Official press release can be found on the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee website.