OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)
The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) demolished a house and a commercial facility belonging to Palestinian citizens in different areas of Jerusalem at the pretext of unlicensed construction.
According to local sources, bulldozers belonging to the Israeli municipality demolished a house owned by Kadem Abu Shafe in Silwan district, south of the Aqsa Mosque.
A family of four was living in that house, which was built in 2021.
Meanwhile, a large number of Israeli police forces stormed several neighborhoods of Silwan during the demolition operation.
In a separate incident, Israeli municipal bulldozers knocked down a Palestinian-owned commercial facility in al-Jib town, northwest of Jerusalem.
Local sources said that bulldozers escorted by police forces demolished a brick and iron workshop belonging to Abdul-Basset as-Sous in al-Jib town.
The rate at which Palestinian homes and structures are demolished in Occupied Jerusalem has almost doubled since the start of the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, human rights groups and monitoring organizations say.
The demolitions are ordered by the Israeli municipal authority which claims that many Palestinian homes and structures are built without permission.
Almost all attempts by Palestinian families in east Jerusalem to apply for planning permission are rejected by the IOA. That means growing families say they have no choice but to build without permits and face the consequences – huge fines and demolition orders.
