Najah a-Rajabi, also known as Um Nasser, lives in Batan al-Hawa, a
neighborhood in Silwan, East Jerusalem. She is 62 years old and has nine
children. Twelve years ago settlers took over the building that adjoins
hers, and have made her life a misery ever since. She recently
received, as did most local residents, eviction claims from the Ateret
Cohanim settler association. Backed by authorities, it is part of the
most extensive dispossession proceedings underway in recent years in
East Jerusalem. Settlers are already living in a few neighborhood
buildings, and they were joined by official and private security
personnel funded by the Ministry of Housing. They regularly use violence
against Palestinian residents, including the use of live fire and crowd
control measures, threats, arresting minors and disrupting the fabric
of life.