The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) displaced two Jerusalemite families after forcing them to demolish their own homes in Jabel Mukaber neighborhood and Silwan district in the east of the holy city.
The house in Jabel Mukaber belonged to the brothers Imad and Ahmed Mashahera who had to raze it after the IOA threatened to make them pay an exorbitant sum of money if its municipal crews carried out the demolition.
As always the IOA justified the measure by claiming the house was built with no license.
“We do not know where we can go with our women and children after our house was demolished. We have become homeless…vulnerable to the danger of reptiles such as snakes and scorpions” one of the brothers said.
They accused the IOA of systematically practicing mass killing humiliation torture and intimidation against the Jerusalemite calling for international action to find a solution to their suffering and hold Israel accountable.
In Silwan the IOA also forced another citizen called Fares al-Khales to demolish his own house under the same pretext.
“The Jerusalemite has no choice but to build without a license because there are no structural maps that respond to the natural increase in the number of the local residents and for that reason there are no house licenses” Khales said.
“The Jerusalemite is forced to demolish his own house with his own hands after he is threatened with heavy financial fines if the occupation carries out the demolition. This is the tax we pay for our steadfastness on our land” he added.
