Speechless after witnessing a home demolition
This east Jerusalem family is homeless tonight. What did they do to deserve this? They built a home without a permit as many are forced to do. Since 1967, Israel has implemented a policy of planning, development, and building that restricts Palestinians from constructing buildings and planning cities while simultaneously establishing and expanding Jewish settlements.
More than 12,000 Palestinian homes have been demolished since 1967, rendering an estimated 70,000 homeless according to the Israeli Committee against Home Demolitions (ICAHD).
94% of Palestinians in Jerusalem who apply for permits are denied Many homes are demolished for ‘administrative’ reasons, i.e. building without a permit as is the case for the Abu Sneineh family. The United Nation’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that 94% of Palestinians in Jerusalem who apply for permits are denied.
B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, gives three overall reasons for home demolitions—as a political act (to make room for bypass, or restricted access roads in the West Bank, to remove Palestinians from land near Israeli settlements), as an act of reprisal (in response to a Palestinian attack on Israeli civilians or if they are built without a permit), and as a policy of discrimination (Israeli settlers also build without permits, but the authorities look the other way and retroactively approve building plans).
The Abu Sneineh family built its 170 square metre house in 2001 in Al ‘Eisawiya, a Palestinian neighbourhood in east Jerusalem valley behind Hebrew University. A demolition order was issued in February 2007 and last night municipality representatives visited, informing them of the ‘eviction’.
We heard the sound of the bulldozers before we could see them as we arrived at around 10:30am this morning. It sent a chill through my bones. We watched from the main road as the destruction got underway. Not a single stone was left unturned. There was still food in the refrigerator.
The family of six, including a 15-year-old is now left with only the clothes on their backs. When we asked where they will go, the father responded that they will probably sleep in a tent tonight. The mother was too distraught to be present immediately afterwards. One of the sons, aged 21, along with his cousin (also 21) was arrested when they tried to stop the demolition from taking place.
asked where they will go, the father responded that they will probably sleep in a tent tonight In recent days, Israel has demolished numerous Palestinian homes in Jerusalem. ICAHD reports five Palestinian structures (four houses and one banquet hall) were destroyed from November 6-8 alone.
At the international conference in Annapolis one year ago, Israel reaffirmed its commitment to the Road Map, part of which includes halting “confiscation and/or demolition of Palestinian homes and property” and “freez[ing] all settlement activity.” The number of houses destroyed this year already surpasses that of 2007. Since Annapolis, 94 Palestinian homes have been destroyed in east Jerusalem and 235 in the remainder of the West Bank, compared to 78 in east Jerusalem and 208 in the West Bank in 2007 according to ICAHD.
The sun has already set as I write this at 5pm. My heart goes out to this family—and to the 329 other families who have endured this unnecessary tragedy in 2008 alone. I can’t even imagine how it would feel to be in their shoes. May God grant them grace in the difficult time ahead and may He grant us courage to speak out against unjust policies and such deplorable acts.
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More than 12,000 Palestinian homes have been demolished since 1967, rendering an estimated 70,000 homeless according to the Israeli Committee against Home Demolitions (ICAHD).
94% of Palestinians in Jerusalem who apply for permits are denied Many homes are demolished for ‘administrative’ reasons, i.e. building without a permit as is the case for the Abu Sneineh family. The United Nation’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that 94% of Palestinians in Jerusalem who apply for permits are denied.
B’Tselem, the Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, gives three overall reasons for home demolitions—as a political act (to make room for bypass, or restricted access roads in the West Bank, to remove Palestinians from land near Israeli settlements), as an act of reprisal (in response to a Palestinian attack on Israeli civilians or if they are built without a permit), and as a policy of discrimination (Israeli settlers also build without permits, but the authorities look the other way and retroactively approve building plans).
The Abu Sneineh family built its 170 square metre house in 2001 in Al ‘Eisawiya, a Palestinian neighbourhood in east Jerusalem valley behind Hebrew University. A demolition order was issued in February 2007 and last night municipality representatives visited, informing them of the ‘eviction’.
We heard the sound of the bulldozers before we could see them as we arrived at around 10:30am this morning. It sent a chill through my bones. We watched from the main road as the destruction got underway. Not a single stone was left unturned. There was still food in the refrigerator.
The family of six, including a 15-year-old is now left with only the clothes on their backs. When we asked where they will go, the father responded that they will probably sleep in a tent tonight. The mother was too distraught to be present immediately afterwards. One of the sons, aged 21, along with his cousin (also 21) was arrested when they tried to stop the demolition from taking place.
asked where they will go, the father responded that they will probably sleep in a tent tonight In recent days, Israel has demolished numerous Palestinian homes in Jerusalem. ICAHD reports five Palestinian structures (four houses and one banquet hall) were destroyed from November 6-8 alone.
At the international conference in Annapolis one year ago, Israel reaffirmed its commitment to the Road Map, part of which includes halting “confiscation and/or demolition of Palestinian homes and property” and “freez[ing] all settlement activity.” The number of houses destroyed this year already surpasses that of 2007. Since Annapolis, 94 Palestinian homes have been destroyed in east Jerusalem and 235 in the remainder of the West Bank, compared to 78 in east Jerusalem and 208 in the West Bank in 2007 according to ICAHD.
The sun has already set as I write this at 5pm. My heart goes out to this family—and to the 329 other families who have endured this unnecessary tragedy in 2008 alone. I can’t even imagine how it would feel to be in their shoes. May God grant them grace in the difficult time ahead and may He grant us courage to speak out against unjust policies and such deplorable acts.
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