Jerusalem municipality demolishes house

Bulldozers of the Israeli Municipality of Jerusalem Wednesday demolished a Palestinian-owned under construction house in Wadi Qadoom neighborhood in the East Jerusalem town of Silwan, under the pretext there was no licence for the building.

Wadi Hilweh Information Center reported that Israeli police forces, accompanied with bulldozers, and a municipal staff, stormed the town of Silwan in the pre-dawn hours, sealed off Wadi Qadoom and surrounding areas, before proceeding to demolish the 300-square-meters house, which was built only three months ago and belonged to local Samer Nassar.

The Nassar family said that the demolition took place without any prior notice, noting that the building costs amounted to 180 thousand Israeli Shekels (over 35 thousand Dollars).

According to B’Tselem, the Israeli information center for  human rights in the occupied territories, from 2004 until 31 Aug. 2015, Israel demolished at least 579 Palestinian residential units in the East Jerusalem area, causing 2,133 people – including at least 1,158 minors – to lose their homes.