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January 23, 2026
- Greater Jerusalem: Impending Eviction in Muslim Quarter; Israel Demolishes UNRWA Headquarters
- Settlement & Outpost Construction: “State Land” Declaration; Settlers Celebrate Yatziv Settlement
- Settler Terrorism
- Israeli Government Policy
- Bonus Reads
Greater Jerusalem
Impending Eviction in Muslim Quarter
Ir Amim reports the impending eviction of the Basha family (13 people in six households) from their homes in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Ir Amim explains:
“According to lawsuit filings, the building was purchased approximately 100 years ago by Jews and later registered under a Jewish trust known as Torat Chaim. The Basha family does not dispute prior Jewish ownership but maintains that the property was purchased by their family from the original Jewish owners. In support of their claims, they submitted evidence and noted that although the trust retrieved a nearby building in the Muslim Quarter, it never asserted ownership rights over their property. Despite this, the Israeli courts have systematically ruled against them and ordered their eviction.”
Israel Demolishes UNRWA Headquarters in East Jerusalem
Israel demolished UNRWA buildings near Sheikh Jarrah in annexed East Jerusalem, and is expected to initiate planning for a new 1,400-unit settlement neighborhood there. See reporting:
- “Israel Razed UNRWA’s East Jerusalem HQ, Now It’s Planning to Build 1,400 Housing Units on the Site” (Haaretz, 1/20/26)
- “Israel demolishes UNRWA’s East Jerusalem headquarters; UN agency: ‘Unprecedented attack’” (The Times of Israel, 1/20/26)
- “Israel demolishes buildings in UN Palestinian agency’s East Jerusalem compound” (Reuters, 1/20/26)
Israel is further threatening to seize UNRWA assets in the West Bank, see:
- “UNRWA school in West Bank city set to be closed by Israel within days, agency says” (The Times of Israel, 1/23/26)
- “West Bank Education Centre Could Close in Days Due to Israeli Seizure Threat, Says UNRWA” (Haaretz, 1/23/26)
Settlement & Outpost Construction
“State Land” Declaration Near Qalqilya Advances New “Dorot” Settlement Plan
Peace Now reports the Israeli Civil Administration issued a “state land” east of Qalqilya, paving the way, possibly, for the construction of a massive new settlement in the area. Peace Now reports:
“The declaration complements an initiative by private Israeli developers who claim to have succeeded in purchasing about 200 dunams from Palestinians in the area and to be in the process of acquiring an additional 400 dunams. Together with the privately purchased plots, the newly declared “state land” could be used by the government to establish a new settlement in an area that constitutes the only remaining contiguous Palestinian territorial stretch east of Qalqilya.”
Near Bethlehem, Settlers Celebrate Speedy Outpost Legalization
The Times of Israel reports that settlers held a celebration of the sudden legalization of an outpost – called “Yatziv” meaning “stable” – adjacent to Beit Sahour, near Bethlehem. Israeli Minister Bezalel Smotrich attended the ceremony and said:
“We are standing stable here in Israel…We’re going to be here forever. We will never establish a Palestinian state here.”
Settler Terrorism
- Settlers raided a quarry Urif, near Nablus, setting vehicles and buildings on fire. The attack was caught on film.
- Settlers led a deadly attack on the bedouin village near Mukhmas, near Ramallah, setting fire to multiple tents and buildings. Settlers also beat residents and international volunteers. Four people were injured, eight homes and two vehicles were set on fire. Footage from the village during the attack is harrowing.
- More:
Israeli Government Policy
- “Israel Allocates $160M for Public Transport Security, Most Will Go to West Bank” (Haaretz, 1/23/26)
- “In the Knesset, Lawmakers Salute the Lawless Settlers Who Shape Israel’s Fate” (Haaretz, 1/19/26)
- “Israeli minister approves gun licences for 18 illegal West Bank settlements” (Al Jazeera, 1/22/26)
Bonus Reads
- “West Bank Monthly Snapshot – Casualties, Property Damage and Displacement | December 2025” (UN OCHA, 1/21/26)
- “Living Hell: The Israeli Prison System as a Network of Torture Camps” (B’Tselem, February 2026)