JCSER: “Jerusalem Municipality Planning To Level 150 Homes In Old City”

Tuesday October 13, 2009 18:11 by Saed BannouRa - IMEMC

The Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights (JCSER) issued a press release stating that the Jerusalem municipality is planning to level 150 homes in different Arab neighborhoods in East Jerusalem.

The Research and Documentation Unit at the Center stated that most of the homes in question are located in the northern neighborhoods, especially in Beit Hanina, Shufat, Al Ashqariyya, Nusseiba project, and the southern parts of the city especially Silwan, Al Thoury, Jabal Al Mukabbir, Sur Baher, Al Tour, Al Z'aayim, Al Esawiyya and Ras Khamis.

The report said that nearly 1000 Palestinians are living in those homes and that most of the structures were built more than three years ago.

This number is in addition to nearly 125 homes and apartments that the municipality already decided to demolish them and issues official orders in this regards.

On Monday, the Israeli authorities demolished a 70 square/meter home in Al Marwaha neighborhood, rendering five residents homeless.

The authorities also demolished a wall in Al Ashqariyya neighborhood, a and several other structures.

A total of 61 homes were level since the beginning of the year in addition to other agricultural and industrial structures. This is in addition to 18 homes demolished by their owners to avoid the huge fines, especially since the municipality forces the residents to pay for the costs of leveling their homes.

Most of the demolished homes are within the walls of the Old City.

Israeli fundamental groups took over more than 200 homes in the Old City and several settler groups funded by Israel and lobbies in the United States are sponsoring them.

Fundamental settlers also occupied homes in Sheikh Jarrah, Silwan and Jabal Al Zeitoun (Mount of Olives) .

This number does 70 'random' settlement outposts run and financed by El 'Ad settlement group; 40 of the outposts are in Silwan and Ras Al Amoud.

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