Following a recent meeting headed by the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Muhammad Hussein, the council announced in a statement that the demolition of al-Bustan suburb in Silwan could lead to the displacement of tens of Palestinian families.
“This is a dangerous precedent in the history of Jerusalem,” the council said, adding, “It is the start of an approach that includes demolition of complete neighborhoods and collective deportation.”
The council also denounced the threat of displacement and deportation of more than two dozen families from Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem al-Quds.
It called on the international community to act against the ongoing Israeli demolition campaign.
The council said such demolitions coincide with the constant provocative actions by Israeli settlers at holy sites such as the Ibrahimi Mosque.
It strongly denounced Israel's approval of building an elevator for settlers inside the mosque, which is in the city of al-Khalil (Hebron).
“This aims to seize the biggest possible part of its area, change its historical features and complete the Judaization plans that has been ongoing since the massacre of the mosque in February 1994,” the statement said.
Israel, it added, is exploiting the pandemic-related closures to carry out more excavations under the al-Aqsa Mosque, which would weaken its foundation and risk its collapse.
UNESCO has already recognized the Ibrahimi Mosque as an endangered Palestinian heritage site.
Israel has been repeatedly lambasted for its provocative digging and construction works at the al-Aqsa Mosque’s Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem al-Quds.
Israel lays claim to the entire Jerusalem al-Quds, but the international community views the city’s eastern sector as occupied territory and Palestinians consider it the capital of their future state.