Israeli authorities forced a Palestinian family to demolish their own home in Shu'afat, East Jerusalem.

Footage filmed on 25 October showed one member of the family, Abdul Hadi, smashing into the walls of his own home with a sledgehammer.

The Israeli municipality ordered him to tear down the house on the grounds it was built without a permit.

In an interview at the scene (in Arabic) Ahmad Abu Issa said his nephew, Abdul Hadi, had to demolish his 50-square-meter (538 sq ft) home after he was threatened with a fine equivalent to more than 20,000 US dollars.

Palestinians in East Jerusalem can find themselves compelled to tear down their homes after receiving a demolition orders, to avoid paying exorbitant costs to the Israeli municipality if it has to carry out the demolition.

Palestinians say they are forced to build without a permit because the Israeli municipality discriminates against them and refuses to issue them permits, or places unreasonable conditions or costs on permits.

At the same time, thousands of housing units are built for Jewish settlers on appropriated Palestinian lands in a straightforward process.

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: Jerusalem - 25 October 2022. The Israeli authorities force a Palestinian family to self-demolish their home in the town of Shuafat, in Jerusalem.


0.1 SOUNDBITE (in Arabic) Ahmed Abu Issa, uncle of the owner of the house

STORYLINE:

Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem were today forced by the Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem to tear down their homes under the pretext they were built without a permit.

Ahmad Abu Issa said that his nephew, Abdul Hadi, was forced by the municipality to demolish his 50-square-meter home in Shufat neighborhood of East Jerusalem under the pretext it was built without a permit after he was fined more than $20,000.

Palestinians in East Jerusalem find themselves compelled to tear down their homes after receiving a demolition order to avoid paying exorbitant costs to the Israeli municipality if it carries out the demolition.

Palestinians say they are forced to build without a permit because the Israeli municipality discriminates against them and refuses to issue them permits or places unreasonable conditions that they cannot afford to issue a permit.

At the same time, thousands of housing units are built for Jewish settlers in the city on appropriated Palestinian lands and are made easily accessible to them.

Footage by APAwire