JERUSALEM, Tuesday, June 6, 2023 (WAFA) – The Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem today demolished a Palestinian-owned house in Wadi al-Joz neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem under the pretext of construction without a permit.

Local sources said a large Israeli force surrounded the 120-square-meter house, owned by the Totah family, and sealed off the area as the municipality bulldozers proceeded to demolish it. As a result, eight people were displaced.

In the demolition, the bulldozers tore down a wall and uprooted several trees planted in the yard, as well as a stable for horses owned by the same family.

The Israeli municipality demolished three houses for the same family in March and several others since 2015 claiming construction without a permit, which is impossible for Palestinians to get in Wadi al-Joz neighborhood, which the municipality that discriminates against Palestinians seeks to turn into a Jewish neighborhood by either seizing and evicting Palestinians from their homes or denying them construction rights.

The Totah family said they tried many times to get building permits for their houses, most built 25 years ago, without any success.

M.K.