Geneva, March 6 (SANA) – United Nations experts have warned that Jerusalem is facing serious changes affecting its demographic composition, religious character and legal status due to accelerating Israeli measures in the occupied city.
According to the Palestinian news agency WAFA, the experts said Israeli occupation is using what it describes as an “existential war” as a cover to speed up policies aimed at altering the city’s population structure and undermining its historically diverse character.
They noted that these measures include extrajudicial killings, large-scale demolitions, forced displacement and movement restrictions imposed through checkpoints and closures that isolate Jerusalem from its Palestinian surroundings and disrupt residents’ social, economic and religious life.
The statement cited reports documenting the killing of 144 Palestinians in Jerusalem between 2021 and 2025 and the arrest of more than 11,000 others, alongside thousands of demolition and deportation orders, warning that settlement expansion continues to worsen conditions for Palestinians in East Jerusalem.
UN experts also warned that dozens of Palestinian communities, comprising more than 7,000 people, face the risk of forced displacement due to demolitions and land seizures, while discriminatory legislation prevents Palestinians from reclaiming their property.
They called on the international community to take urgent action, particularly in light of the International Court of Justice opinion affirming the illegality of the occupation, warning that international inaction contributes to the continuation of violations against the city’s residents.
