Ir Amim

Ir Amim Ir Amim (“City of Nations” or “City of Peoples”) focuses on Jerusalem within the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Ir Amim envisions a city that ensures the dignity and welfare of all its residents and safeguards their holy places, historical and cultural heritages – today, as well as in the future. Ir Amim aspires to a sustainable political future for Jerusalem as the shared capital of two sovereign states – achievable only through a negotiated Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

In recent weeks, the Israeli National Enforcement Unit, operating under far-right Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, issued demol...
24/08/2025

In recent weeks, the Israeli National Enforcement Unit, operating under far-right Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, issued demolition threats for a five-story residential building in Al-Sawana neighborhood of East Jerusalem. If the demolition proceeds, approximately 140 individuals from 17 families will lose their homes.

The building was constructed 22 years ago, and a demolition order was issued shortly thereafter. However, the order was never enforced. Only recently—more than two decades later—did the authorities decide to implement the demolition. Last month, residents were notified that the building could be demolished within days.

Currently, the demolition is temporarily suspended, but the Supreme Court may reconsider the decision in the coming weeks. The affected families have submitted a proposal to legalize the building, yet the municipal planning committee declined to review the plan, following the revelation that part of the land is under the control of the Custodian of Absentee Property.

Even beyond the deep planning discrimination already faced by Palestinians in the city, this case highlights the political weaponization of home demolitions. Until recently, the building was home to Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, former M***i of Jerusalem and a vocal critic of Israeli policy. Right-wing groups have led targeted campaigns calling for the demolition of his home and are claiming credit for the current threat received by the residents. The involvement of Ben Gvir’s National Enforcement Unit, rather than the usual municipal inspection authority, reinforces suspicions that the demolition is politically motivated.

In summary, the threatened demolition of the Al-Sawana building cannot be regarded as neutral enforcement; in addition to being a tool of displacement, it is being used as a weapon of collective punishment wielded to intimidate and silence Palestinian voices.

Entire Palestinian communities in East Jerusalem face eviction and demolition, while settlements expand. This is not inc...
21/08/2025

Entire Palestinian communities in East Jerusalem face eviction and demolition, while settlements expand. This is not incidental; it is a systematic policy of silent displacement threatening Palestinian life in the city.

"It's not possible to undo 100,000 Israeli settlers in that area. It would mean there's no Palestinian contiguity and th...
18/08/2025

"It's not possible to undo 100,000 Israeli settlers in that area. It would mean there's no Palestinian contiguity and there's no way to create a viable Palestinian state." Said Aviv Tatarsky, Senior Field Researcher at Ir Amim in an interview with ABC News

📌 Read the full article "Israeli minister Bezalel Smotrich vows to resume E1 development in occupied West Bank": https://cutt.ly/5rHSlZc5

Yesterday, the Israeli government announced that the Higher Planning Council of the Civil Administration had approved th...
14/08/2025

Yesterday, the Israeli government announced that the Higher Planning Council of the Civil Administration had approved the first two plans for the E1 settlement: E1-South and E1-East. Together, the two plans include 3,410 housing units.

This approval is not just another building plan—it is an explicit declaration of de facto annexation actions. The plans are openly intended to bury the two-state solution and entrench de facto Israeli sovereignty, with the potential displacement of dozens of Palestinian communities in the E1 area. As Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich stated: “The approval of construction plans in E1 buries the idea of a Palestinian state and continues the many measures we are advancing on the ground as part of the de facto sovereignty plan we began implementing with the establishment of the government. After decades of international pressure and freezes, we are breaking conventions and connecting Ma'ale Adumim to Jerusalem. This is Zionism at its finest – building, settlement, and strengthening our sovereignty in the Land of Israel.”

The implications of approving the E1 plans are clear: they reflect an Israeli strategy of apartheid through land annexation and the elimination of any chance for a Palestinian state. They could lead to the displacement of thousands of Palestinians, the closure of key areas in Jerusalem to them, and the imposition of an unsustainable economic and social reality—further fueling the risk of violence and escalating tensions.

In recent weeks, the city of Jerusalem has witnessed a series of escalating attacks by settlers targeting Palestinians i...
10/08/2025

In recent weeks, the city of Jerusalem has witnessed a series of escalating attacks by settlers targeting Palestinians in various parts of the city — from assaults on bus drivers to the stoning and vandalizing of Palestinian vehicles on main roads, including Route 1, and most recently, provocative marches in the Old City on the eve of the Tisha B’Av fast.

Though these incidents may seem isolated, they represent a clear pattern of systematic violence that is intensifying dangerously — not only in Jerusalem, but across the West Bank. During the same period, attacks have surged in several West Bank areas, ranging from assaults on villages and farmers, to road closures, and even direct killings, such as the brutal attack on our friend and activist ‘Odeh Al-Hathaleen by a settler near Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron.

These violations continue amid explicit or implicit collusion by the authorities. Rarely are indictments filed against the perpetrators, even in cases where the crimes are clearly documented in audio and video. In this context, the Palestinian in Jerusalem and the West Bank becomes a constant target of racism and violence — without protection, and without justice.

What is happening is not merely “tension,” but a deeply entrenched crisis in which fundamental rights are being stripped away: the right to life, to safety, to freedom of movement, and to remain on one’s land. This is not a temporary state of emergency, but a long-term trajectory aimed at dismantling the foundations of Palestinian existence — in East Jerusalem, in rural West Bank areas, and in Area C.

This systematic violence, fueled by an increasingly extreme political discourse, threatens not only individual lives, but the future of an entire society. In the face of this reality, we must raise our voices — not only to demand action, but to bear witness to what is unfolding, to affirm our rights, and to expose exclusionary and marginalizing policies wherever they take root.

When prayer becomes politics: How government-backed Temple Mount Movements use Jewish holidays to escalate control over ...
06/08/2025

When prayer becomes politics: How government-backed Temple Mount Movements use Jewish holidays to escalate control over Al-Aqsa Mosque

📌 To learn more, visit our website: www.ir-amim.org.il/en

03/08/2025

This Tisha B’Av, as Jews around the world mark a day of mourning for the destruction of the Jewish Temples, Temple Mount movements — radical groups seeking to overturn the status quo on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif — see this day as another opportunity to escalate their efforts to break the status quo and ultimately take over the holy site.

Last night, right-wing movements conducted a march around the Old City, pausing at the Lion’s Gate for speeches by far-right figures, including Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Aryeh King and Knesset members Orit Strock and Limor Son Har-Melech. These figures have consistently advocated for expanded Israeli control over Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount, while supporting the continuation of Israel’s destruction of the Gaza Strip and its two million inhabitants.

This morning, over 2,500 Temple Mount activists and their supporters — including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir — entered the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif under heavy police protection. Police allowed them to pray and chant throughout the entire holy compound, including right next to the Qibli Mosque. This is a blatant violation of Israeli commitments to maintain the site as a place of Muslim-only worship. In parallel, Israeli authorities imposed age restrictions that barred most Muslim worshippers from accessing their sacred space.

The message is unmistakable: these groups are asserting a vision of Jewish sovereignty built on the erasure, displacement, and dispossession of Palestinians — with the support of the Israeli government.

We were devastated to receive the heartbreaking news on Monday evening of the killing of Odeh Al-Hathaleen - a beloved f...
01/08/2025

We were devastated to receive the heartbreaking news on Monday evening of the killing of Odeh Al-Hathaleen - a beloved friend and partner of Ir Amim. We are still coming to terms with this profound loss, grieving deeply as we mourn his passing.

Odeh was so much to so many: an educator, an activist, a father of three children, and a committed ally in our shared pursuit of justice. He was a brave and principled leader who never hesitated to share his story and that of Masafer Yatta - a story marked by determined struggle for dignity, freedom, and a life free from fear and oppression for himself, his family and his community.

To us, and to countless others, Odeh was a source of strength and hope. His deep commitment to peaceful resistance and his vision for a just and equal future for all continue to inspire. His death is not only a painful loss to his loved ones and his community, but also to all those in Israeli society who seek a shared future built on justice, equality, and peace.

A video capturing the incident shows Odeh’s killer, Yinon Levi — a violent settler well known to the Israeli authorities. Levi was previously sanctioned by several countries (American sanctions were later revoked under the Trump administration) and was also involved in the expulsion of the village of Zanuta in Masafer Yatta. Odeh’s killing is a harrowing reminder of the escalating settler violence and military harassment faced by Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. It also underscores the complicity of the Israeli legal system in maintaining and enabling this systemic oppression.

Levi is currently under house arrest, following a decision by Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court. In the days since Odeh’s death, the village of Umm al-Kheir has been repeatedly raided by soldiers. 18 residents have already been arrested and are now facing trial in military court. Meanwhile, the Israeli police continue to withhold Odeh’s body, denying his family the dignity of a proper burial.

We stand in solidarity with Odeh’s family and the entire community of Umm al-Kheir, and we hope they will soon be able to give him the peaceful and dignified burial he deserves.

May you rest in peace, Odeh

Ir Amim extends its condolences to renowned artist and political activist David Tartakover.A leading figure in the world...
30/07/2025

Ir Amim extends its condolences to renowned artist and political activist David Tartakover.
A leading figure in the world of protest art, he was an uncompromising artist and a moral compass in the Israeli society. Through his bold political work, including posters opposing the occupation and supporting human rights, protest art challenging war and war crimes, and efforts to document the country’s suppressed histories, Tartakover gave shape and voice to silenced truths and marginalized narratives.
His legacy leaves a lasting impact on the struggle for justice, human rights, and a more equal future in Jerusalem and beyond.

Ir amim joins the call for the hunger strike in protest of the intentional starvation of the people in Gaza.The starving...
29/07/2025

Ir amim joins the call for the hunger strike in protest of the intentional starvation of the people in Gaza.
The starving of civilians in Gaza constitutes a violation of international law, and standing in solidarity with them today is a moral, civil, and humane duty.

After a four year freeze, the Israeli government has resumed the advancement of the E1 settlement plan, a project to con...
29/07/2025

After a four year freeze, the Israeli government has resumed the advancement of the E1 settlement plan, a project to construct more than 3,400 housing units between Ma’ale Adumim and Jerusalem. Located beyond the Green Line, this area is part of the occupied West Bank, and construction there constitutes settlement expansion in occupied territory.

Construction in E1 and the fragmentation of the Palestinian space in the West Bank carry a dual significance. Instead of working towards a peace agreement with an independent Palestinian state, Israel is dismantling the West Bank into a collection of enclaves into which it aims to push the Palestinian population, while maintaining Israeli supremacy in the area.

The announcement came just days after Prime Minister Netanyahu's meeting with at the White House. Despite longstanding international opposition, the timing suggests Israel is moving ahead with far-reaching measures—some with de facto annexation implications, under the cover of continued U.S. support.

These developments threaten the viability of a future political resolution. Not only do thousands in Khan al-Ahmar stand to lose their homes, but these policies reflect a broader strategy of entrenching Israeli territorial contiguity while deepening Palestinian fragmentation. Taken together, they accelerate the shift toward a one-state reality of unequal rights and ongoing dispossession

Approximately 17 families, numbering some 140 individuals, are at risk of losing their homes next week in As-Sawaneh, a ...
23/07/2025

Approximately 17 families, numbering some 140 individuals, are at risk of losing their homes next week in As-Sawaneh, a neighborhood near the Mt of Olives in East Jerusalem.

The National Land Enforcement Authority, which operates under the Ministry of National Security headed by the far-right Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, issued a notice today, instructing the building’s tenants to evacuate their apartments by this coming Saturday, July 26, ahead of the demolition scheduled for next week.

The demolition order for the building was originally issued over 20 years ago, but to date has not been implemented. Among the former residents of the building was Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, former Grand M***i of Jerusalem and a prominent religious figure, who is a frequent target of political persecution. Although he has since relocated to another neighborhood in East Jerusalem, Israeli efforts to demolish the building have continued unabated.

The planned demolition of the building serves as yet another example of how tools of displacement serve as a punitive measure and used to silence dissenting voices.

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Our Story

Since Ir Amim’s founding in 2004, we have worked tirelessly for an equal Jerusalem for all of its residents – Israeli and Palestinian alike. Our unwavering commitment to comprehensive research and accuracy in our geopolitical analyses of developments on the ground has garnered a local and international reputation among policymakers, the media and the general public.

Our team is on the ground monitoring and reporting on developments in Jerusalem; advocating in the Israeli courts and with the Israeli authorities for policy changes; leading workshops and study tours for both Israelis and internationals to reorient the discourse on Jerusalem; organizing field briefings for international policymakers; and equipping Israeli and Palestinian communities with the tools for more effective community organizing.

Our story doesn’t end with what we do, but rather what we are working towards:

We aspire to a sustainable political future for Jerusalem as the shared capital of two sovereign states – achievable only through a negotiated Israeli-Palestinian peace process.