Israeli occupation authorities forced a Palestinian family in the Silwan neighborhood to demolish the building where it lives to avoid paying unreasonable demolition fees to the Israeli municipality, WAFA news agency reported.
The Nassar family, who live in the Wadi Qaddum neighborhood in Silwan, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, were forced to demolish their building, which consists of three apartments, after being pressed to do so by the Israeli municipality under the pretext that it was built without a permit.
Jawad Nassar, the owner of one of the apartments, said he, his brother, and his nephew had no option but to demolish the building themselves to avoid paying unreasonable demolition costs to the Israeli municipality in the event it carried out the demolition.
He added that the family decided to stay in their land and live in a tent. “We will not leave the place no matter what happens,” he stressed.
Nassar is not the first Palestinian to be forced to demolish his house in Jerusalem on the pretext of building without a permit.
Palestinians often build their homes without a permit because getting one is very difficult as the right-wing mayor and city council attempt to keep the city’s Palestinian population at a bare minimum while multiplying its Jewish residents by approving the construction of thousands of new housing units in Jewish settlements.
