JERUSALEM, Wednesday, November 16, 2022 (WAFA) – Staff from the Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem today tore down what remained of a privately-owned Palestinian house located at Salah al-Din Street in occupied East Jerusalem after the owner had earlier torn down parts of it, according to local sources.

They said the house owner, Azzam Abu Asab, started yesterday to demolish part of it on his own to avoid paying high costs and fines to the Israeli municipality for building without a permit before the municipality staff came today to complete the demolition.

Abu Asab’s son, Saif, said the municipal staff, protected by forces, broke into their house, tore down the remaining walls, and destroyed the house contents after attacking his family and stealing almost $1000 from the house.

The Israeli municipality earlier today tore down a 70-square-meter house belonging to the Dabash family, purportedly for being built without a license, in Sur Baher neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem.

Palestinians in Jerusalem say they are forced to build without a permit because the right-wing Israeli municipality discriminates against them when it comes to construction in the occupied city while it builds thousands of housing units on expropriated Palestinian land for Jewish settlers.

T.R./M.K.