‘Israeli’ Regime Forces Family in Silwan to Self-demolish Home

By Staff, Agencies

The ‘Israeli’ occupation regime forced members of a Palestinian family to demolish their own houses in the occupied East al-Quds neighborhood of Silwan.

The Nassar family used a bulldozer to demolish their three houses in the Wadi Qaddum area in line with the so-called ‘municipality’ of occupied al-Quds’ decision to avoid paying exorbitant fines if the municipality carries out the demolition on its own.

The houses were demolished purportedly for being built without alleged licenses that should be obtained by the original landowners from the occupying authorities.

Mazen Nassar, one house owner, said that they were forced to carry out the demolition to avoid paying US$ 26,000 to the municipality, while pointing that their families consisting of 35 members were displaced as a result.

While Nassar’s father purchased the 2-donum plot of land 40 years earlier, the occupation regime claimed to have offered the Nassar family “compensation” to evict the land, as revealed by Mazen.

When the Nassar family refused to evict the land, they were subjected to acts of harassment by the municipal staff as a means to drive them out, with the municipality considering the land as a public property.

Under the pretext of illegal building, the occupation regime demolishes houses on a regular basis to restrict Palestinian expansion in the occupied holy city.

At the same time, the Zionist regime constructs dozens of thousands of settler units in illegal settlements in East al-Quds for ‘Israeli’ occupiers with a goal to offset the demographic balance in favor of the ‘Israeli’ settlers in the occupied holy city.