Israeli municipality staff and police issued four demolition orders for commercial properties in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan on Sunday, a local group said.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Center said that Israeli forces raided Silwan and issued demolition orders for the properties on the pretext that they were built without a license.
The shops belong to the Qarain family and were built 20 years ago.
They also issued a demolition order for a small sports stadium built in 2010. The stadium is 850 square meters and has been demolished before by Israeli authorities, but locals rebuilt it.
Israeli municipality staff also raided an under-construction house and issued demolition orders for three bird huts built without a license, the center added.
Israel rarely grants Palestinians permits to build in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. It has demolished at least 27,000 Palestinian homes and structures since occupying the West Bank in 1967, according to the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions.
Israeli has designated most of the West Bank as “agricultural land” and most of East Jerusalem as “open green space,” so Palestinians can own land but not build on it.
Israeli commissions usually rezone the land for requests to build Jewish settlements.
It is illegal under international law to demolish property in occupied territory.
(Ma’an – www.maannews.net)
So much for the “peace process” . Business as usual for Israel, knowing no one will stop them, complain, bring any ambargoes, trade, cultural or other.
Theft and destruction go on daily. Jerusalem and Palestine are being ruined – as if the Israelis (or anyone else) care. After all, it’s not their home!
“Where have all the flowers gone?”
I know weeping doesn’t help. But I wish every tear fallen would turn into a defender of the ravaged earth and stop the carnage.
I dream the unlawful will be neutered, that flowers will grow as a free Palestine emerges!