HEBRON,
December 15, 2014 (WAFA) – The Israeli authorities Monday notified
local residents in the Hebron area of orders to stop the construction of eight homes currently under construction, according to local sources.
Malek
Rajoub, a public relations officer with Yasseria municipality to the west of
Hebron, said an Israeli army force and a staff from the Israeli Civil
Administration (ICA) broke into the area and ordered stopping the construction
of six homes. The residents were notified to appear before the Israeli court
next month.
Meanwhile,
army forces and ICA members stormed the town of Beit Ummar, to the north of
Hebron city, and handed a local resident an order to stop the construction of
his house. They notified the house’s owner to appear before the Israeli court
in the illegal settlement of Beit El in January.
Another
resident of Beit Ummar was handed a notice to stop the construction of his
house, despite having documents proving ownership.
Most
of the houses to be demolished are located in Area C of the West Bank, which is
under full Israeli military and civil control.
Israel
hardly issues construction permits for Palestinians in Area C and in East
Jerusalem, for which Palestinians tend to construct without obtaining an
Israeli permit.
Issuing
permits for Palestinians, unlike for Jewish settlers, requires unreasonable fees
that most families cannot afford to pay.
On
Sunday, the Israeli
municipality of West Jerusalem
notified Palestinians living in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan of orders
to demolish their homes.
Commenting
on that, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it described as
“all-out aggression” led by the Israeli government and its security apparatus
against Jerusalem and its residents, which aims to “Judaize” the city and
undermine its Arab identity.
The
ministry described the demolition of houses as “the most racial form of
occupation.”
It
held the Israeli government and its Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, fully
responsible for the “racial war” and all the resulting consequences, as well
for the “collective punishment” represented in house demolitions, which violate
international law.
The ministry reminded the international community that condemnations are not enough and prompt action to stop the ongoing Judaization of Jerusalem and its holy sites, as well the demolition of homes, is urgently needed.
M.N/M.H
