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Israel exploits peace talks to demolish more Palestinian homes in Jerusalem

April 9, 2014 at 11:17 am

The number of Palestinian homes demolished by Israeli occupation forces in Jerusalem since the beginning of this year has increase sharply as no political pressure is exerted on the Israeli government, an Israeli newspaper said on Thursday.


According to data from the Jerusalem Municipality, Haaretz said, 12 Palestinian homes were demolished since the beginning of this year, most of them were inhabited compared with 25 homes demolished in 2013, and most of those were uninhabited.

Israeli officials put the increase down to the absence of political pressure put on the Israeli government since the beginning of the ongoing negotiations between the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Israel.

The officials, according to Haaretz, said this opened the door wide for the strong return of the homes’ demolition policy. They also said that the current calmness in occupied Jerusalem facilitates carrying out demolition activities.

Haaretz reported an account of a Jerusalemite family from the Silwan neighbourhood. M, a Jewish woman married to Mohamed Swahar, said Israeli police suddenly broke into her house with dogs and scared her children.

They did not give the family time to dress the children or to collect any personal belongings. This was at 6am.

According to the newspaper, the police beat the father because he was trying to reach his children to placate their fears.

The family’s house was built 18-year-old ago and the family have tried to obtain necessary building permits, to no avail.

M said, “I never imagined that one day I will be treated in this inhumane way,” she said.

The family is now living in a tent donated to them by the International Red Cross.