JERUSALEM, July 24, 2025 (WAFA) – Israeli occupation authorities on Thursday forced two Palestinian brothers to carry out the demolition of their own homes in the neighborhood of Jabal al-Mukabbir, southeast of occupied Jerusalem, under the pretext of lacking construction permits.

The brothers, Ayoub and Ibrahim Qunbur, were compelled to demolish their two-story residential building—which they had built in 2012—to avoid incurring hefty demolition fees imposed by the Israeli municipality.

The forced demolition has left 10 family members homeless. The building contained two apartments with a total area of approximately 140 square meters.

In May 2024, an Israeli court issued a final ruling ordering the demolition of the structure, despite the Qunbur family's efforts since 2016 to legalize the building. They had responded to municipal notices claiming the structure was built without a permit, submitting multiple requests for zoning regularization—none of which were accepted.

M.N