Palestinian residents in Jerusalem reject Israel's self-demolition policy

Palestinian residents of Silwan, an East Jerusalem neighbourhood, have rejected Israel’s “self-demolition” policy, which forces Palestinians to demolish their own homes or face extortionate fines.

The Palestinian-run Jerusalem Governorate announced today that Silwan residents, supported by local land defence committees, have stated they would not comply with the policy, choosing instead to let Israeli authorities conduct the demolitions.

Fakhri Abu Diab, Jerusalem affairs researcher, noted that Israeli authorities force Palestinians to choose between destroying their own homes and paying financial penalties if Israeli machinery is used.

According to Abu Diab, this approach is intended to reduce international backlash, as forced demolitions and the displacement of residents violate international law and are considered war crimes.

He emphasised, “We should not be tools in the hands of the Occupation’s municipality, nor should we make it easier for them or reduce the cost of demolitions.”

Abu Diab highlighted that the world must witness the brutality of the Occupation, especially when Israeli forces raid homes and destroy them with bulldozers. He further explained that the Israeli municipality promotes the self-demolition policy to portray Palestinians in Jerusalem who tear down their own homes as admitting to legal violations. This tactic allows the Occupation to avoid responsibility for its actions, he added.

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Moreover, Abu Diab also pointed out that the Israeli municipality has limited resources, which prevents it from demolishing all the threatened buildings at once. He clarified that when Palestinians in Jerusalem engage in self-demolition, they unintentionally assist the municipality in advancing its plans, which aim to diminish the Palestinian presence in the Occupied city.

He stated that the Israeli occupation authorities consider around 22,000 Palestinian homes and structures in East Jerusalem to be illegal, with 7,000 of them located in the town of Silwan, according to the Israeli municipality’s classification and the Local Planning and Building Committee.

He explained that if demolition orders were issued for all these buildings and the owners were forced to carry out the demolitions themselves, it would significantly benefit the Israeli municipality, which would otherwise need many years to demolish them.

The Occupation regime has demolished and razed approximately 360 Palestinian-owned homes and facilities in the city of Jerusalem since October 2023, as part of a systematic policy aimed at displacing Jerusalemites and depriving them of their historical and national rights.

Abu Diab also called on both local and international organisations, as well as funding bodies, to provide support by covering the fines imposed on Palestinians who refuse to demolish their homes.

“When Jerusalemites find support, self-demolition will decrease significantly,” he said.

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