Days Of Palestine – Jerusalem

A Palestinian citizen from the town of Abu Dis, east of Jeruslem, embarked today on tearing down his own home after he was informed by the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem that unless he demolishes it himself, the municipality would demolish it and force him to pay exorbitant fees.

Ibrahim Erekat said he was informed by the municipality that he had to demolish his home because he did not have a building permit, which is nearly impossible to obtain under current Israeli prerequisites.

Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem have no choice but to build without a permit because the Israeli municipality rarely issues permits for the city’s Palestinian citizens as a way to reduce their number in the city, by forcing them to leave it and find accommodation elsewhere.