Jerusalem: Israeli occupation authorities on Saturday compelled a Jerusalemite citizen to demolish his own home located on Al-Zaytouna Street in the town of Beit Hanina, north of occupied Jerusalem.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem issued a demolition order against Rami Al-Bakri's 35 square meters house, citing the lack of an Israeli-issued permit as the reason.
The home, which was constructed eight years ago, comprised a room, a kitchen, and a bathroom, serving as the residence for Rami and his newlywed wife. The municipality notified Al-Bakri of the demolition order about two weeks ago, prompting him to take down the house himself to avoid incurring additional substantial costs.
Al-Bakri had previously paid fines amounting to approximately 40,000 shekels, along with lawyer fees and expenses related to the licensing process. The Israeli municipality has been demolishing or forcing Palestinians to demolish their own houses under the pretext of building without a permit, which is seldom granted to Palestinians in the occupied city. This is seen as part of a broader policy aimed at limiting Palestinian expansion and growth in occupied Jerusalem.
Faced with demolition orders, Palestinians in East Jerusalem are often compelled to dismantle their own homes to avoid paying excessive costs to the Israeli municipality if it proceeds with the demolition. Palestinians argue that they are forced to build without permits due to what they describe as discriminatory practices by the Israeli municipality, which they say either refuses to issue permits or imposes unaffordable conditions.
Simultaneously, thousands of housing units are constructed for Jewish settlers in the city on appropriated Palestinian lands, with these units being made easily accessible to settlers.