Israel forces Palestinian landlord in Jerusalem to demolish his own home

JERUSALEM: Israeli occupation authorities compelled a Palestinian citizen today to demolish his own home in the neighborhood of Silwan in occupied Jerusalem, citing unauthorized construction as a pretext for the demolition, according to local sources. Ali Odeh, the home owner, was forced into self-demolishing his home under the pretext of building it without an Israeli construction permit, the sources said. Israeli occupation authorities frequently coerce Palestinian residents, particularly in occupied Jerusalem, into self-demolishing their homes, citing alleged lack of permits. Those who resist this measure often witness their homes being demolished by Israeli bulldozers, accompanied by hefty fines imposed on the homeowners. The all-Israeli municipality in Jerusalem consistently denies building permits to Palestinians and either demolishes or compels them to self-demolish their homes. These actions are against international laws and humanitarian principles that safeguard the right to housing. These polic ies are part of Israel's systematic practices aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians while expanding colonial settlements in and around the city. Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA