Occupied Jerusalem (QNN)- Israeli authorities issued an expulsion order against geese owned by a Palestinian resident in Al-Bustan neighborhood, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem, in a shocking move.
Jerusalem-based researcher Fakhri Abu Diab said authorities notified him to remove the birds from his home. Abu Diab, whose house Israeli authorities demolished twice, said the decision forms part of a broader effort to strip residents of basic elements of life in Al-Bustan and undermine their sense of stability.
In comments to Al Jazeera, Abu Diab stressed that even the Israeli law allows residents to keep birds. He said the expulsion order shows clear targeting not only of Palestinians and their homes, but now even animals. He warned that such actions point to attempts to erase Palestinian presence in the area.
Abu Diab said Israeli police and municipal officials asked for his ID while issuing the order, prompting him to ask whether they intended to expel him or the birds. He added that the geese, in his words, “pose a threat” only in the eyes of authorities.
He explained that raising the birds helps families cope with stress and repeated demolitions. He said authorities aim to remove even small sources of relief, making it easier to advance plans for biblical-themed parks and settler facilities in the area.
Legal expert Medhat Deeb said Israeli municipal laws regulate pet ownership but do not require a permit for keeping geese like those owned by Abu Diab. He described the decision as an arbitrary application of the law without legal basis.
The case comes amid escalating pressure on Palestinian neighborhoods in Silwan, including Al-Bustan and Batn al-Hawa. Since 2015, Israeli legal measures have placed more than 84 Palestinian families, around 700 people, at risk of eviction under a 1970 law that allows Jewish claims to pre-1948 property while denying Palestinians the right to reclaim theirs.
Source: Al Jazeera
