JERUSALEM, August 20, 2014 (WAFA) – The Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem posted a notification on the walls of two Palestinian-owned buildings in Jerusalem, notifying their owners of their decision to demolish them under the pretext of being ‘built with a permit’.

The two buildings, consisting of five apartments, are located in the neighborhood of Silwan in East Jerusalem and belong to two Palestinian brothers. They were built almost 10 years ago, according to Wadi-Hilweh Information Center, adding that the buildings shelter 19 persons.

According to Hammoda Seyam, one of the owners, Seyam’s mother built the two buildings 10 years ago, and despite the fact that she had paid 650,000 Israeli shekels (US$190,000) in fines for building without a permit the Israeli authorities insisted on demolishing them.

He said that they have been trying for years to obtain  building permits, yet the Israeli authorities always rejected their request under the pretext that the buildings were built on land declared as ‘green area’, where building is prohibited.

The Israeli authorities in Jerusalem only issue building permits for Arab in very rare circumstances. Hundreds of Palestinian Arab residents predominantly find themselves compelled to embark on building houses to shelter their families without getting a permit.

Meanwhile, Israeli bulldozers demolished a Palestinian private-owned shed used for agricultural purposes in the village of Mukhmas, to the northeast of Jerusalem.  

M.N./T.R.