Occupied Jerusalem, ALRAY - Nestled in the heart of Jerusalem, the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood has been the site of ongoing conflict between Palestinian residents and Israeli settlers for years. Recently, one woman and her family have found themselves at the center of this struggle.

Fatema Salem, a 74-year-old Palestinian woman, along with her sons, is facing the possibility of being evicted from her home in Sheikh Jarrah. Israeli authorities have ordered the demolition of her room, cited unauthorized construction, and given her a week to comply. However, Salem has refused to demolish the room herself, and is now living in a state of extreme anxiety and fear of what may happen when the authorities come to enforce their order.

For Salem, this room holds more than just memories – it is her only shelter, and she wonders where she will go if it is demolished. She has been living in the 20-square-meter room for 20 years, ever since the Jordanian guardianship, and has given birth to her children there.

The situation in Sheikh Jarrah is not unique to Salem and her family. Approximately 40 Palestinian families in the western part of the neighborhood are threatened with eviction from their homes under various pretexts, including increases in building or renovation, delay in rent payment, or raising the annual rent value on residents under orders from the "Absentee Property Custodian.

Despite facing attacks from Israeli forces and settlers, the residents of Sheikh Jarrah have received widespread support from both Palestinians and foreigners. Dozens of foreigners have organized marches to reject settlement in the neighborhood and the eviction of Palestinian homes in favor of settlers.

The struggle in Sheikh Jarrah is a microcosm of the larger issue of settlement in the Palestinian territories. The conflict between Israelis and Palestinians over land and property rights is deeply rooted, and the struggle of families like Salem's is just one small part of a larger struggle for justice and peace in the region.