Israeli forces seized the “Castiro” café in Jerusalem’s Musrara area

No.

9628

Date

17 November, 2024

Original Social Media Post

"Jerusalem 🚨 Israeli forces occupation forces seized the “Kastro” café in Jerusalem’s Musrara area, evacuating it for settlers. The property owned by a Palestinian was claimed to be under the Custodian of Absentee Property law, raising concerns over continued displacement of Palestinians. #Jerusalem #Apartheid"
- Source

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Archivist Notes: Mahmoud Castiro's cafe expropriation

Mohammad Ouda Castiro, a Palestinian from Jerusalem, asserts ownership of Café Al-Masrara near Damascus Gate, which he has leased since 1954. He has fought eviction attempts since 2010 but was recently forcibly removed by Israeli authorities favoring settler groups. Despite losing access, Castiro vows to reclaim the café for himself or his descendants, challenging Israel's 1950 "Absentees' Property Law," which facilitated the transfer of Palestinian properties to Israeli control. He decries the eviction as part of broader efforts to displace Arabs and Muslims from Jerusalem. Holding the café keys, Kastiro remains resolute in his resistance.

On November 17, settlers accompanied by police arrived to evacuate Mahmoud Castiro's cafe. They took the equipment out onto the street and handed the keys to settler associations in the city. The police prevented solidarity activists who were present from getting close to the cafe.

Sources 1

The details for each video come from social media. None of it has been verified.