JERUSALEM, August 25, 2015
(WAFA) – Israeli authorities Tuesday demolished two houses under construction
in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan, under the pretext of construction
without a permit, according to local sources.
WAFA correspondent said an
Israeli police force accompanied by bulldozers broke into Silwan in the predawn
hours, and cordoned off the area before proceeding to demolish the two homes,
without any prior notice. The two homes belonged to two brothers identified as Mohammad
and Khaled Abbasi.
Khaled Abbas told WAFA that the
two homes were supposed to shelter 12 members as both
brothers have been living in their fathers home with their families for the
past six years, noting that this is the second time forces demolish the two
houses in a matter of four months, citing
the same pretext.
He added that the demolition of
their homes incurred some 700,000 shekels (about $181,000) in construction
expenses that all went in vain, adding: “We need to work for almost 10 years to
cover our debts incurred by the construction of the two homes.”
To be noted, Israel imposes
strict and almost unattainable terms for issuance of construction permits to Palestinians
living in East Jerusalem and in Area C of the West Bank, both under complete
Israeli control, forcing many Palestinians to embark on construction without
obtaining a permit.
Although Palestinians in East
Jerusalem are living in a part of the internationally recognized Palestinian
Territory that has been under Israeli military occupation since 1967, they are
denied citizenship and classified only as 'residents' whose permits can be
revoked if they move away from the city.
They are also discriminated
against in all aspects of life including housing, employment and services, and
remain unable to access services in the West Bank due to the construction of
Israel's separation wall.
Humanitarian and legal bodies
and institutions such as the UN, OCHA and B’Tselem confirm that the planning
policies applied by Israel in Area C and East Jerusalem discriminate against
Palestinians, making it extremely difficult for them to obtain building
permits.
“As a result, many Palestinians
build without permits to meet their housing needs and risk having their
structures demolished. Palestinians must have the opportunity to participate in
a fair and equitable planning system that ensures their needs are met,” OCHA
reports.
According to OCHA, in 2014
alone, Israeli authorities demolished a total of 97 buildings in East
Jerusalem, while demolished five others in 2015, under the pretext of building
without a construction permit.
On august 21, Spokesperson for
the United States Department of State, John Kirby, in a statement, expressed
deep concern over the recent Israeli escalation of Palestinian home demolitions.
“We are very troubled by the
recent escalation of demolitions and evictions, which include the destruction
of dozens of structures and the displacement of over 150 people in the West Bank
and East Jerusalem this month alone,” read the statement.
He described these demolitions
and evictions as ‘harmful and provocative and indicative of a damaging trend,
particularly given settlement-related activity and continued construction in
the West Bank and East Jerusalem.’
In the meantime, 31 Aid groups,
including Oxfam and Amnesty International, denounced
Israeli demolitions of homes in the West Bank, where the UN said 63 houses
and other structures were destroyed this week alone, making 132 Palestinians
homeless, said a statement also issued on August 21.
Citing UN figures, the aid
groups said the demolitions made '132 people homeless, including 82 children,
accounting for a quarter of the displacement from demolitions in 2015 and
marking the highest number of people rendered homeless from demolitions in
nearly three years'.
The Israeli government, the aid
organizations said, should be held 'accountable for the wanton destruction of
Palestinian property and of projects funded by international aid in the
occupied West Bank.'
M.N./T.R.
