Jerusalem: Israeli occupation authorities forced a Palestinian citizen on Monday to self-demolish his home in the town of Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, the Jerusalem Governorate reported that the occupation troops compelled Maher al-Salaymeh, from the Wadi Qaddum neighborhood, to dismantle his residence.
The governorate further detailed that the house, consisting of two apartments and inhabited by seven people, has stood for over 35 years and spans approximately 140 square meters. Previously, another home belonging to the al-Salaymeh family was demolished as part of what is described as a systematic policy targeting Jerusalemites through demolition orders and population restrictions.
The authorities in occupied Jerusalem enforce self-demolition under the pretext of lacking permits. Those who do not comply face demolition by bulldozers, incurring significant costs. The occupation municipality in Jerusalem is known for its refusal to issue building permits to Palestinian citizens, leading to forced demolitions. This practice is seen as a violation of international laws and humanitarian norms that protect the right to housing.
The demolitions are also part of broader practices aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians from Jerusalem, making way for settlement expansions in and around the city. Notably, since the beginning of the aggression on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, the number of homes and facilities destroyed by Israeli authorities in the governorate has reached 623. These include both long-inhabited and under-construction residential homes, as well as commercial and economic facilities vital to the livelihoods of many Jerusalemite families, as reported by the Jerusalem Governorate.