By AbdelRaouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA): Israel on Monday issued a demolition order for a mosque in the town of Silwan in east Jerusalem for “lack of a construction permit,” according to local residents.

Israeli authorities gave the curators of the Qa’qaa Bin Amr mosque 21 days to challenge the order.

However, an Israeli court in occupied Jerusalem rejected an appeal, Monday, against orders for the demolition of the mosque in Silwan town, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the city.

The Wadi Hilweh Information Center In Silwan (Silwanic) has reported that the Israeli court rejected an appeal from the residents, which was filed after a demolition order was issued by the City Council to demolish the Al-Qa’qa’ mosque in the town.

Built in 2012, the two-floor mosque accommodates hundreds of worshippers.

A similar demolition order was issued in 2015, but was never enforced.

In recent years, Israeli settlers have seized control of dozens of Palestinian homes in Silwan, which is close to the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

Israeli settlement organization Elad says it seeks to turn Silwan into a Jewish area called the City of David.

Israeli authorities have stepped up their demolition campaigns in Jerusalem in recent weeks, razing dozens of Palestinian homes, particularly in Silwan.

*Bassel Barakat contributed to this report from Ankara

Additional report from imemc.org

[Archive photo: Israeli forces demolishing Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem – Wadi Homs neighbourhood on 22 July 2019.  Photographer: Issam Rimawi/AA]