Israel issues demolition orders to Palestinian homes, shops in occupied Jerusalem

Israeli occupation authorities this morning issued demolition notices to several shops and houses inhabited by the Palestinian family of Abbasi in the village of Silwan, based south of occupied Jerusalem, reported Wafa news agency.

The demolition of the Palestinian homes were ordered under the pretext that they lack the necessary building licences. However, it is almost impossible for Palestinians to be granted building permits.

Some 181 Palestinian structures in occupied Jerusalem were demolished in the first half of this year, 40 of which were demolished by their owners following orders from the occupation authorities. Palestinians are forced to demolish their own property because Israel charges them to carry out demolitions itself.

The Zionist state, meanwhile, approves the construction of thousands of residential units within illegal settlements built on occupied Palestinian land in the area.

The building permits are charged at extortionate prices and are unaffordable for most Palestinians, creating a legal loophole for Israel to annex more land and leave Palestinians in limbo by preventing them from developing infrastructure.

Israel’s widely practised policy of home demolitions and destruction of other property targets entire families. Such demolitions are regarded as illegal collective punishment and a violation of international human rights law.

READ: Palestinian forced by Israel to demolish his Jerusalem home