More Palestinian House Demolition in East Jerusalem

MaximsNewsNetwork: UN EAST JERUSALEM DEMOLITION: UNRWA:

"MaximsNewsNetwork: 14 October 2009 - UNTV - United Nations - UNRWA: Several new demolition orders have been issued in recent weeks in East Jerusalem, adding to the increasing tension in the city and Palestinian fears that the number of house demolitions will increase in the near future.

This week has seen a number of house demolitions in East Jerusalem.
In the Al Marwaha area in the Beit Hanina neighborhood of East Jerusalem a residential house that was the home of the Palestinian Teriyaki family of 5, including 3 children aged 3, 6 and 8, was demolished early morning on Monday 12 October.

The family had been receiving repeated visits from Israeli border police officials threatening them with eviction and demolition. At the time of demolition the family had lived in the home for 5 months. With no alternative shelter the family decided to stay at the site, camping among the rubble. The family kept horses in a stable next to the house. On Wednesday 14 October the family received orders from the Israeli border police to remove the horses from the compound. UNRWA (the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees), ICRC and others provide basic emergency assistance to the family.

The ability of the humanitarian community to provide displaced families with alternative shelter is very limited, given the lack of available housing in East Jerusalem as a result of the current planning and housing crisis in Palestinian neighborhoods.
The usual reason for demolition given by the Jerusalem municipal authorities is that a building has been erected without permits.
In Old Hizma Road in the Beit Hanina neighborhood of East Jerusalem the foundation of an apartment block under construction, intended to provide 8 large housing units was partially demolished on Monday 12 October.

Construction was initiated in 2002 but halted in 2003 when the structure received a stop-work order on the grounds that it exceeded approved building plans. The owners, the Abu-Aysha family, have attempted to obtain additional permits, but their efforts have so far been unsuccessful. The demolition on Monday was halted and postponed following a court order and the payment by the Abu-Aysha family of a 40.000 Shekel (11.000 USD) guarantee, while they make a final attempt to obtain further permits.

Several new demolition orders had been issued in recent weeks in East Jerusalem, adding to the increasing tension in the city. Palestinians fear that the number of house demolitions will increase in the near future. 227 buildings have been demolished since the beginning of 2009 in East Jerusalem and in other areas of the West Bank that are under Israeli civil and military control. 95 of these demolished structures have been residential buildings. 520 persons have so far been displaced this year as a result of the demolitions.

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