JERUSALEM, August 25, 2006 (WAFA)- The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) said 47 structures belonging to Palestinians were demolished in East Jerusalem by the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem and/or the Ministry of Interior during the first half of the year 2006.

In its half yearly report on home demolitions in Jerusalem (January - July 2006), ICAHD revealed there were 16 gas stations included in that statistic, "therefore a net total of 31 residential structures was demolished."

Relative to preceding years, ICAHD added, this represents a decline in the number of home demolitions in Jerusalem. "If this decline to continue proportionately for the remainder of the year, the annual number would be approx. 70 structures, i.e. 20 less than in 2005."

ICAHD stated a possible explanation for the current status of home demolitions saying it could be related to an organisational crisis currently experienced within the Jerusalem Municipality.

"Two of the personnel who until now had responsibility for signing demolition orders have recently resigned: Micha Ben-Nun was in charge of the department overseeing inspection of building and Uri Shetreet was Municipal Engineer. A third person who was also a signatory to the demolition orders, Adv. Yossi Havilio, (legal advisor to the Municipality) is currently in a "battle for survival" for his employment at City Hall, since the mayor wishes to replace him, it added. "Therefore the demolition industry has been at somewhat of a standstill, due to these internal circumstances."

ICAHD also stated another possible explanation saying it could be related to the means used by the Municipality in enforcing its policies.

"During the past year, the Municipality was particularly far more stringent in confiscating cement mixers used in "illegal" building - 24 such cement mixers were confiscated and their release was effected only by payment of fines averaging between 40,000 to 70,000 shekels each, depending on whether confiscation represented a first offence or repeat occurrence," it said. "Therefore, this also had a "knock-on" effect on illegal building, because (a) the required machinery was unavailable and (b) suppliers were increasingly unprepared to rent out their machinery."

(19:00 P) (16:00 GMT)