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VICE News

A City Divided: Jerusalem's Most Contested Neighbourhood

VICE News travelled to Silwan and met with the Palestinians and Israelis living in the divided area.

Throughout the past few months, Jerusalem has been a scene of clashes and violent attacks. Silwan, a Palestinian neighbourhood just steps away from Jerusalem's Old City, has been at the heart of the unrest, and is becoming one of the most contentious neighbourhoods in the most contested city in the world.

As settlement expansion into East Jerusalem continues, Israeli authorities have ramped up their practice of demolishing homes built without proper permits — permits which are near impossible for Palestinians to acquire. In addition to the demolitions due to lack of permits, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced in early November the reinstatement of the policy of demolishing terrorists' homes, which Palestinians claim is a form of collective punishment.