Eight Jewish families may be evicted from their homes in eastern Jerusalem according to a court order.  They have been charged with dwelling in a house built without government permission in 2004. It was erected by an Arab contractor for the Ateret Cohanim organization, which attempts to return a Jewish presence to Arab-controlled parts of Jerusalem. If the Jewish residents are expelled from the seven-story building, it will be the first such expulsion of Jews from eastern Jerusalem. The building is located in the Silwan neighborhood, on land that was inhabited by Yemenite Jews until the 1930s.

Lawyers for the Jewish families will appeal the case to the Supreme Court, arguing that the indictment has been filed based solely on the occupants Jewish nationality, further arguing that the municipality does not enforce building codes against Arabs in eastern Jerusalem.

According to sources at Jerusalem's city hall, senior municipal officials are against the eviction.