JERUSALEM, Saturday, December 08, 2018 (WAFA) – In order to avoid paying exorbitant costs if the Israeli West Jerusalem municipality goes ahead and demolish its house in Silwan, a Palestinian neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem, under the pretext of lack of building permit, a local family started on Saturday to tear down  its two-apartment building, according to members of the family.

As a result, two families with 14 people were displaced and became homeless.

Jawhar and Murad Hashimeh built their 140-square-meter building 20 years ago to house their two families.

However, after years of futile attempts to get a building permit from the West Jerusalem municipality and paying thousands of US dollars in fines, the Hashimeh families were told they have until December 10 to tear down the building or the municipality would do it and force them to pay high demolition costs.

As a result, the families started the demolition on Saturday with their own hands.

Palestinians in East Jerusalem, particularly in Silwan, say it is almost impossible to get a building permit from the Israeli municipality, which facilitates construction for Jewish groups in Silwan, referred to as City of David, but not for Palestinians.

M.K.