Israel demolishes Palestinian home in East Jerusalem's Silwan

By Abdelraouf Arna'out
JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli forces on Tuesday tore down a Palestinian house in Silwan town in occupied East Jerusalem, according to a local official.

“Israeli bulldozers backed by police forces demolished the two-apartment house,” Fakhri Abu Diab, a member of a local land committee in Silwan, told Anadolu Agency.

He said Israeli forces cited lack of a building permit for demolishing the house, which was built ten years ago.

“Israeli municipal authorities claim that Palestinians homes were built without permits, but the fact is that they do not grant permits for the Palestinians to build their homes,” Abu Diab said.

He said the Israeli demolition policy is part of government efforts to obliterate the Palestinian presence in Silwan and Jerusalem.

There was no comment from the Israeli authorities on the report.

Israeli authorities have recently announced plans to demolish dozens of Palestinian homes in al-Bustan and Batin al-Hawa neighborhoods in Silwan.

International law regards both the West Bank and East Jerusalem as occupied territories and considers all Jewish settlement-building activity there illegal.

Writing by Ahmed Asmar