Middle East Monitor / August 4, 2020
Israel soldiers forced two Palestinian families to demolish their homes yesterday in the Silwan neighbourhood of occupied Jerusalem, reported Wafa news agency.
Member of the Silwan Lands Defence Committee, Khaled Abu Tayeh, said that Iyad Abu Sbeih’s family resorted to demolishing their one-storey house in order to avoid paying a demolition fee to the occupation forces, after all legal methods had been exhausted.
He added that another house belonging to Issa Illan Oweisat, located in Jabal Al-Mukabber, was also issued demolition orders.
Israeli occupation forces ordered the demolition of the houses under the context that they were built without the impossible to obtain building permits.
A restrictive planning regime applied by Israeli authorities makes it almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain building permits in Area C, in which East Jerusalem is based, impeding the development of adequate housing, infrastructure and livelihoods.
Meanwhile, Israeli occupation authorities confiscated 200 dunams (49 acres) of Palestinian farmlands from the Kisan village east of Bethlehem, in addition to issuing an order for demolishing a barn.
The Deputy-Mayor of Kisan village, Ahmad Ghazal, stated that a large military force invaded the At-Tina area, south of the village, and notified local families that they are not allowed to enter their lands because they have been confiscated by the soldiers for military purposes.
He added that the Israeli soldiers also issued an order for the demolition of a barn, owned by Hussein Abdullah ‘Obeyyat, and informed him he has only 24 hours to level the property and leave the land or face arrest in addition to high fines and other penalties, including possible imprisonment.
