JERUSALEM, August 9, 2012 (WAFA) – Mayor of West Jerusalem Nir Barkat signed demolition orders for UN-funded trailer homes used to house Palestinians whose homes have been demolished by the Israeli authorities in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina, Thursday reported the Israeli newspaper Haartez.
The trailer homes were funded by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and seven other donor countries, including Britain, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, Spain, Netherlands and Ireland.
Israel's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wednesday accused OCHA of repeatedly violating accepted protocols, regarding the operation of international organizations, said Haartez.
OCHA officials said that no permits are needed to be obtained from the municipality because the trailer homes are not connected to the city’s utility system, added the paper.
“Municipal officials said the flags were a ploy to embroil Israel in embarrassing pictures of destroying trailer homes donated by friendly states,” said Haartez.
The municipality gave the families, whom the city refused to grant permits, 30 days to file an objection.
T.R./F.R.
