JERUSALEM, Saturday, March 02, 2019 (WAFA) – A Palestinian resident of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras el-Amoud embarked today on tearing down his own home after he was informed by the Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem that unless he demolishes it himself, the municipality would demolish it and force him to pay a large amount in fees.
The homeowner, Husam Abbasi, told WAFA that he was informed by the municipality one month that that his home is going to be demolished within 14 days because he did not have a building permit and gave him a choice of either doing it himself or the municipality crews would demolish it and he has to pay over $20,000 in fees.
He said he built his 65-square meter home a year ago on the top of his family‘s two-story building to accommodate his family that includes his wife and baby child.
Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem say they are forced to build without permit because the Israeli municipality rarely issues permits for the city’s Palestinian residents as a way to reduce their number in the city by forcing them to leave it and find accommodation elsewhere.
M.K.
