Israel demolishes Palestinian structures in Jerusalem

Israeli occupation bulldozers yesterday demolished a Palestinian commercial structure near the industrial park of the illegal Israeli settlement of Atarot, north of occupied Jerusalem, Quds Press reported.

Owner of the structure, Kamal Abu-Sneineh, told the news site that the Israeli occupation demolished his property claiming it was built on land owned by the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem. “This land is mine and I have proof of that,” he said.

“The Israeli police started the demolition when I was not there. When I arrived, they forced me to remain far away.” He said that his property consisted of two rooms, used as offices, four containers, used as stores, a vehicle, diesel tank and two trucks.

“We did not have the opportunity to take our belongings out before the demolition,” he explained, adding that “Israeli municipal inspectors claimed I had no work license.”

“The Israeli municipality chased me for one and a half years claiming I was illegally using the municipality’s land but at the end, they granted me a license,” he said, “but this did not prevent them from pushing me out of the area in order to include it in the settlement.”

On Tuesday, Israeli bulldozers demolished Palestinian structures in neighbouring Beit Hanina and Silwan.