The Israeli municipality in Jerusalem today forced three families to self-demolish their houses and structures under the pretext that they were built without a permit.

The Wadi Hilweh Information Center said that the Israeli municipality issued demolition notices against structures, including houses, owned by three Palestinian families in Jerusalem, namely: Awadallah, Siyam, amd Nemr, forcing them to carry out the demolition themselves to avoid paying exorbitant costs if the municipality demolishes them.

Jihad Awadallah, one of the owners of the structures, said that his family demolished its two-story building in Shufat neighborhood, which was built 20 years ago.

He pointed out that his family tried all these years to obtain a permit without success and that it has paid over 120 thousand Israeli Shekels in fines.

Awadallah indicated that each apartment in the building was 120 square meters and that his brother used to live in one of them, but he was forced to move to a rented apartment after the demolition.

Meanwhile, the Israeli municipality forced Nemr Nemr to demolish an apartment owned by his son in Sur Baher, southeast of Jerusalem.

Nimr explained that the apartment, which was 90 square meters, was built five years ago, and that the necessary finishes were underway on the apartment when the Israeli municipality issued a demolition notice against it and informed him that he should immediately demolish it or otherwise its staff will do so.

The Israeli municipality also forced Omar Siyam to demolish an animal shed in Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem under the pretext that it was built without a permit.

Jerusalemites resort to implement demolition decisions themselves after threatening to impose heavy fines on them, in addition to force them to pay demolition fees to the municipality's staff and machinery.

Source : Safa