Occupation authorities force Palestinian woman to demolish her own home in Silwan

JERUSALEM: This evening, Israeli occupation authorities compelled a Palestinian woman to demolish her own home in the neighborhood of Silwan in occupied Jerusalem. Lutfiya al-Wahidi said she was forced to carry out the demolition himself after an Israeli court issued an order to demolish it, aiming to avoid the hefty costs imposed if Israeli crews carried out the demolition. As a matter of fact, Israeli authorities routinely coerce Palestinian citizens, particularly in occupied Jerusalem, into self-demolishing their homes citing lack of permits. Those who refuse face the prospect of Israeli bulldozers demolishing their homes and imposing exorbitant fines on the owners. The Israeli municipality in Jerusalem consistently denies building permits to Palestinian citizens, opting instead to demolish their homes or compel them to do so, actions that contradict international law. These practices are part of Israel's policies aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinians from Jerusalem to expand settlements in the cit y and its surroundings. Source: Palestine news and Information Agency – WAFA