IOF force 5 families from Al-Quds to demolish own homes in Wadi Qaddum

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen + Agencies
6 Jun 2023 19:02
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The illegal demolition process by Israeli occupation forces in Palestine continues to target Palestinian houses.

An Israeli occupation bulldozer demolishes the home of a Palestinian family on March 9, 2022 (AFP)

Israeli occupation authorities forced five families from occupied Al-Quds today, Tuesday, to demolish two buildings consisting of 5 housing units in the Wadi Qaddum neighborhood in Silwan, occupied Al-Quds.

The families of Burqan, Al-Tawil, and Nassar, proceeded to demolish the two buildings after they received a demolition notice from the occupation, in addition to paying a heavy fine of 200,000 shekels, forcing them to demolish them themselves, according to Palestinian media.

Yesterday, the families emptied the houses of their contents, in preparation for the demolition process, despite their continuous attempts and pleas not to demolish and displace them.

Would you destroy your own home if forced to?
Recently, #Palestinians are being forced to demolish their own homes with their own hands, the same houses they have been living in long before the Israeli occupation. #Palestine #SaveShiekhJarrah #SaveNaqab pic.twitter.com/vpDTGa8pBl
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 17, 2022

Assem Burqan, the owner of one of the houses in one building, confirmed that the two house around 30 people and that one of them consists of two apartments while the other consists of three.

"The five families are now out in the open in front of their demolished houses, and we have sought for 28 years to obtain a permit. We obtained a permit for the first floor in one of the two buildings," he said, adding that "the occupation forces are waiting to demolish these houses in order to impose their control over the plot of land that we own it."

Building without a permit; or an arbitrary measure?

It is noteworthy that the Israeli occupation forces deliberately pursue a policy of house demolitions, whether by themselves or by forcing the owners to do the demolition, in an attempt to subjugate the Palestinians and put pressure on them.

Palestinians often build their homes without a permit because it is almost impossible to get one, and the reason is that the mayor and city council attempt to keep the city’s Palestinian population at a bare minimum and multiply its Israeli settlers by approving the construction of thousands of new housing units in illegal Israeli settlements.