Sabri: 30,000 homes in Jerusalem threatened with demolition

Some 30,000 homes in occupied East Jerusalem are threatened with demolition, Sheikh Ikrima Sabri, head of the Supreme Islamic Council and Imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque, revealed.

Two to three homes have been demolished everyday this year, he went on to say.

In an exclusive statement to the Palestinian Information Centre on Wednesday, Sabri said that the worse issue Jerusalem is suffering is the campaign of daily home demolitions. He also noted that the occupation demolished five homes in the past two days, “in addition to the continued arrest of the city’s youth and prohibiting the families of those released to welcome their released family members, as was the case with the released detainee, Rasheed Al-Rishq.”

Sabri explained that the demolitions taking place in Jerusalem are carried out in two contexts, “first, systematic demolitions which occur under the pretext of a lack of permit. Due to this, 30,000 homes are threatened to be demolished. The second context is the demolition of the homes of martyrs as part of the collective punishment policy.”

He said 54 homes have been demolished since the beginning of the year and added that the demolition campaign is ongoing.