JERUSALEM, Saturday, April 13, 2019 (WAFA) – A Palestinian family from the Old City of occupied Jerusalem embarked today on demolishing its own home after it was forced to do so by Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem to avoid paying exorbitant costs if the municipality carries out the demolition.

Members of the Ajlouni family said they were forced to demolish their own home after the Israeli municipality issued a demolition order against it under the pretext it was built without a permit and in order to avoid paying unreasonable demolition costs to the Israeli municipality.

Palestinians in Jerusalem say they are forced to build without a permit because getting a building permit is impossible as the right-wing mayor and city council attempt to keep the city’s Palestinian population at a bare minimum while multiplying its Jewish residents by approving the construction of thousands of new housing units in Jewish settlements.

Almost 75 percent of applications for a permit by the Palestinian citizens of Jerusalem are rejected by the municipality, according to rights groups.

M.N./M.K.