Israeli occupation authorities demolished this morning a Palestinian commercial structure in Sur Baher village, southeast of occupied Jerusalem.
Using the pretext of building without a permit and at the order of the Israeli municipality, Israeli forces demolished a Palestinian commercial structure which was under construction in the Wadi Hummus neighborhood in the village of Sur Baher.
‘Israel’ demolishes houses and structures on a regular basis to restrict Palestinian expansion in occupied Jerusalem, under the pretext of illegal building.
Israeli cabinet minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, has issued orders to speed up demolition of Palestinian houses in occupied East Jerusalem under the pretext of building “illegally” without a permit.
This week, the occupation forces began implementing a plan to demolish 14 Palestinian structures in Jerusalem, according to a series of decisions made by the Israeli Cabinet.
Since the start of the week, Israeli police in cooperation with the Israeli occupation municipality demolished 5 buildings in occupied Jerusalem, including two in Jabal Al-Mukaber.
This prompted residents of the neighborhood to declare a general strike yesterday affecting all sectors in the area, including schools.
They were joining the neighborhoods of Shuafat and Anata in occupied Jerusalem. A statement issued by the residents’ committee for civil disobedience called for not going to work and not going out into the street yesterday in objection to the occupation’s decisions.
Residents of the neighborhood also closed roads with burnt tires and rocks and poured oil in the streets to hinder the Israeli bulldozers and forces from entering the neighborhood to carry out more demolitions.
The official Israeli Broadcasting Authority, Kan, confirmed that “the joint campaign of the Jerusalem municipality and the police agency continues to demolish Palestinian buildings in East Jerusalem.”
Kan stated that the Israeli military demolition crews are working to demolish several Palestinian homes across Jerusalem, including in Silwan, Al-Sawahira, Jabal Al-Mukaber, Ras Al-Amud and Beit Hanina.
Ben-Gvir said that “this step is one of a series of steps to combat operations and strengthen governance in Israel.”
In turn, Haaretz newspaper confirmed in its editorial on Monday that the Israeli government’s action, which it claims are “deterrent measures” are nothing but punitive measures against those who are not accused of anything other than being related to those carrying out resistance operations.
It added, “When applying this rejected policy in the occupied territories, including in East Jerusalem, Israel risks acts that violate international law and commit war crimes.”
The newspaper pointed out that the punishment ‘Israel’ seeks against the families of those who carried out the operations include the demolition of homes, revoking social rights, including national insurance and expulsion.”
It warned that “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is interested in advancing a draft law to withdraw insurance allowances from the families of those carrying out attacks and enacting a law to expel these families,” stressing that “Netanyahu’s government wants to harm those who are not suspected of anything without evidence or trial.”
The newspaper concluded that the Israeli policy of “deterrence” is a failure, because the circle of revenge and violence expands whenever collective punishment is used.
