JERUSALEM, December 5, 2011 (WAFA) -  Bulldozers of the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem Monday demolished a Palestinian house in Yasoul, an area in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, according to local sources.

Member of the Committee for the Defense of Silwan, Fakhri Abu Diab, told WAFA that Israeli bulldozers, under Israeli police protection, targeted the house of Borhan Burqan, did not allow the family members to carry their belongings out, and demolished the house.

The bulldozers also demolished barracks used by the family for poultry farming, as a source of income.

Israeli authorities had recently demolished an additional wing that was added to the house in 2009, and fined Burqan with 50,000 NIS ($13,500). He received a demolition notice for his entire house from the Israeli municipality a week ago, under the pretext that it was built without a building permit, added Abu Diab.

He added that Burqan and seven family members that have been living in the house for 40 years became homeless in the winter.

Abu Diab described the house demolition as “malicious” and said it was a warning of a grand demolition campaign that the Israeli municipality, in cooperation with the ministry of interior, plans to conduct in Silwan.

R.Q./F.J.