By Said Amouri
JERUSALEM (AA): Israeli municipal authorities have forced a Palestinian family to demolish their home in occupied East Jerusalem, according to a local NGO on Sunday.
In a statement, the Wadi Hilweh Information Center said the Jerusalem Municipality forced the Abu Sneineh family to raze their home on Saturday in Jabal al-Mukaber neighborhood in Jerusalem, citing lack of a construction permit.
The demolition has left the family of six, including children, homeless.
According to the NGO, the Abu Sneineh family had previously been forced by Israeli authorities to demolish their home in Ras al-Amud area in Jerusalem in 2015.
Israel widely uses the pretext of lack of construction permits to demolish Palestinian homes. Palestinians say the Israeli authorities rarely give construction permits to Palestinians in addition to the costly fees of the construction licenses.
Recently, the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem resorted to escalating self-demolition decisions in the occupied city to avoid international criticism of the demolitions.
Meanwhile, Israeli authorities on Sunday ordered the demolition of three Palestinian-owned homes and a structure in the occupied West Bank, according to a local activist.
Ibrahim Awad said Israeli forces raided Al-Walaja village, west of Bethlehem city, and informed the owners of three under-construction homes and a barn on demolition orders.
He said Israeli authorities cited lack of building permits in Area C of the West Bank for the demolition orders.
Israel widely uses the pretext of lack of construction permits to demolish Palestinian homes, especially in Area C in the occupied West Bank, which constitutes around 60% of its space.
Under the 1995 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was divided into three portions – Area A, B, and C.
Area C is under Israel’s administrative and security control until a final status agreement is reached with the Palestinians.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar
[Palestine: Israeli forces demolish a house belonged to a Palestinian family allegedly for being “unlicensed”, in Hebron, West Bank on January 12, 2021. Photographer: Mamoun Wazwaz/AA]
