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Demolitions leave families homeless in occupied East Jerusalem

September 28, 2016 at 1:44 am

Two Palestinian family apartment buildings have been torn down by Israeli authorities in al-Tur, a neighbourhood in occupied East Jerusalem, on Tuesday, according to Maan News. Along with the family homes, a classroom, a restaurant, four water cisterns were also destroyed.

The demolition, which took place in the middle of the night, left 16 Palestinians homeless including children.

According Taysir Abu al-Hawa, who owned apartments that were destroyed, the Israeli police ordered the families out at 3 am and refused to allow them to take belongings before their homes were reduced to rubble.

The buildings had been erected without formal permits, though these are extremely difficult to obtain especially for Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem. While Abu al-Hawa’s family had attempted to get a permit for the house they were already paying of a fine of 280,000 NIS. The family’s lawyer had also obtained a six-month deferment of the demolition two months ago and a court hearing had been set for Tuesday morning.

Additionally, the “Mediterranean Restaurant” which had existed for more than 20 years without a permit in Beit Safafa, occupied East Jerusalem, was also demolished without warning.