JERUSALEM, Sunday, December 3, 2023 (WAFA) – A Palestinian resident of the town of Sur Baher, southeast of Jerusalem, was forced today to demolish his own home after receiving a demolition order from the Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem citing unpermitted construction as a pretext.

Local sources said that resident Ayman Awad, was forced today to self-demolish his home or else the Israeli municipality will demolish it and obligate him to pay the exorbitant costs.

Under the pretext of building without a permit, which is rarely granted to Palestinians in the occupied city, the Israeli municipality has been demolishing or forcing Palestinians to demolish their own houses as part of a policy aimed to restrict Palestinian expansion and growth in occupied Jerusalem.

Palestinians in East Jerusalem find themselves compelled to tear down their homes after receiving a demolition order to avoid paying exorbitant costs to the Israeli municipality if it carries out the demolition.

Palestinians say they are forced to build without permits because the Israeli municipality discriminates against them and refuses to issue permits or places unreasonable conditions that they cannot afford to issue a permit.

At the same time, thousands of housing units are built for Jewish settlers in the city on appropriated Palestinian lands and are made easily accessible to them.

T.R.