Israel demolished 55 houses in occupied East Jerusalem in 2010

A human rights organisation based in Jerusalem has said that in 2010 Israeli occupation authorities in Jerusalem demolished 55 homes belonging to Palestinian residents of the Holy City. Forty houses and shelters were demolished directly by the authorities; another 15 were knocked down by the owners under compulsion by the Israelis and the threat of having to pay huge costs.

According to the Wadi El-Helwa Information Centre in Silwan, at one stage the Israeli bulldozers targeted animal farms and commercial stores, despite international and local protests over the policy of demolitions in East Jerusalem. In a press release, the centre added that the Israeli occupation authorities in Silwan resumed its policy of house demolitions after destroying the farms. In December 2010, the Israelis demolished two houses in the neighbourhood of Ras El-Amoud, and handed more demolition orders to Jerusalemite Palestinians, including some in the Wadi Yasul district. The demolition orders are still in place.

The centre said that the demolitions are part of Israel’s policy to “Judaize” Jerusalem, and the occupation authorities cooperated with the Israeli Nature and Parks Authority in the illegal process.