Middle East Monitor / January 10, 2022
The Israeli occupation’s Jerusalem Municipality forced a Palestinian family to demolish their house in the village of Sur Baher, southeast of occupied holy city, local news agencies reported yesterday.
According to Safa, occupation forces said the house had been built without the necessary planning permits.
The house belongs to the Abu Kaf family, whose were forced to demolish their house or risk paying for the occupation to do so.
According to the family, the 120-square-metre house consisted of four rooms, a kitchen and a toilet and was built 11 years ago.
Ibrahim Abu Kaf, the house owner, told reporters that his family was handed a demolition order a few days ago despite paying fines amounting to 65,000 shekels ($20,800).
He said that the family had repeatedly tried to obtain a building license but could not due “unclear Israeli requirements.”
Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem are forced to build without permits because the Israeli municipality rarely issues permits to them, in an effort to reduce their number.
Abu Kaf said that his eight-member family is now homeless.
