BREAKING NEWS

Second Jerusalem Arab home demolished in one week

An illegally-constructed multi-family Arab residence in east Jerusalem’s Shuafat neighborhood was demolished Thursday, marking the second Arab home demolition in the capital this week. According to Arab media, the home’s owner, Walid Bishara, said the residence was built one-and-a-half years ago without a permit from the Jerusalem Municipality for three separate families.
Bishara added that after the building was completed, the municipality prevented the families from moving in and a demolition order was imposed in lieu of obtaining a permit.
“They ordered us to seal the building until we got a license in order to make sure it did not get demolished,” Bishara told Ma’an. “We sealed the building and did not use it for any purpose. While he claimed that initial approval for a license was given, Bishari said the court ruled that the structure presented a security risk, and ordered its demolition.
On Tuesday, an illegally constructed Arab home built 10 months ago in Isawiya was also demolished. The owner, Rebhi Dari, told Arab media he could not legally procure a building permit through the Jerusalem Municipality, nor afford the associated expenses for doing so, and therefore was forced to construct it without a permit so he could house his family.