The Jerusalem District has recorded a marked shift over the past year in efforts to combat illegal Arab construction, with a particular focus on several areas of the capital, including Kafr Aqab.
Under the policy advanced by Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and following the appointment of Commander Avshalom Feld as head of the Jerusalem District, enforcement activity has intensified. Demolitions are now carried out on a weekly basis, including during the month of Ramadan, alongside full cooperation with enforcement bodies in confiscating equipment used in illegal construction.
Police officials stress that, unlike in previous years, enforcement operations in eastern Jerusalem will continue uninterrupted throughout Ramadan.
According to police data, more than 700 demolition orders have been issued over the past two years for structures in various Jerusalem neighborhoods.
A focused enforcement operation was recently conducted in Kafr Aqab, during which three buildings were demolished and approximately 20 warning notices were issued. Since the new district commander assumed his post, 58 demolitions have been carried out in Kafr Aqab in the past month alone, most of them beyond the security barrier, due to unauthorized construction starts and illegal additions.
The commander of the district’s demolition unit stated, “We carried out an operation that lasted eight hours, and not a single stone was thrown at our forces."
The Israel Lands Authority recently noted that during the demolition of the UNRWA compound, immediate assistance from the Israel Police was required, partly due to incidents of vandalism by Haredi youth. That assistance, officials said, was provided in full.
The Land Enforcement Authority emphasized that the existing legal framework enables effective action. In 2025, building violations spanning approximately 70 dunams were cleared-more than double the roughly 30 dunams cleared in 2024.
Minister Ben-Gvir said, “We are addressing the most important issue of all: governance in Jerusalem. For years, it was claimed that Kafr Aqab could not be handled, that there was no enforcement and no law. Today, everyone can see the reality changing on the ground. Jerusalem is the capital of the State of Israel, and the law applies there everywhere, without exception."