Occupation Authorities Compel Palestinian to Self-Demolish Home in al-Isawiya.

al-Isawiya: Israeli occupation authorities forced a Palestinian man from occupied Jerusalem to demolish a residential room and agricultural structure in the neighborhood of al-Isawiya, located northeast of occupied Jerusalem. Local sources reported that Israeli forces compelled Derar Darwish, a local Palestinian citizen, to carry out the demolition himself under the pretext of lacking proper permits. According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, Israeli occupation authorities routinely pressure Palestinian citizens, especially in occupied Jerusalem, to demolish their homes, claiming they lack permits. Those who refuse to comply face the demolition of their homes by Israeli bulldozers, which impose hefty costs on the owners. The Jerusalem municipality often denies building permits to Palestinian residents, leading to a systematic pattern of forced demolitions that contravenes international and humanitarian laws that uphold the right to housing. This practice is part of broader efforts to forcibl y displace Palestinians in favor of expanding colonial settlements in the city and its surroundings. A report from the Jerusalem Governorate highlighted that there have been 154 demolition and bulldozing operations in the Jerusalem area, including 24 cases of forced self-demolition and 118 demolitions carried out by Israeli machinery in the third quarter of 2024.