Israeli occupation authorities forced two Palestinian families from occupied Jerusalem to demolish their own homes on Friday and Saturday, in yet another escalation of the long‑standing policy aimed at displacing Palestinians under the pretext of “building without a permit.”
In Jabal al‑Mukabber, southeast of Jerusalem, Samir Elian Arar was compelled on Friday to tear down his family’s home after receiving a demolition order from the Israeli municipality. The 80‑square‑meter house, built in 2018, sheltered seven family members.
The Jerusalem Governorate stated that the municipality had issued fines against Arar amounting to nearly 100,000 shekels over the years.
Arar said he had submitted planning maps in 2014 at the municipality’s request and hired lawyers and engineers to follow up on the case. Instead of processing the application, municipal inspectors issued two additional fines that same year—one for 80,000 shekels and another for 17,500 shekels—which he is still paying and will continue to pay until the end of 2027.
He added that municipal crews invaded the property on January 26, 2026, giving him 21 days to carry out the demolition. Unable to bear the enormous costs the municipality charges when it carries demolitions itself, Arar was forced to destroy his own home.
On Saturday, Israeli authorities issued another self‑demolition order targeting the home of Rami al‑Bakri in Beit Hanina, north of Jerusalem.
The 35‑square‑meter structure consisted of a single room, a kitchen, and a bathroom, and was home to al‑Bakri and his newlywed wife. The house had stood for eight years.
The Jerusalem Governorate said the municipality notified al‑Bakri of the demolition order two weeks earlier, leaving him no choice but to dismantle the home himself to avoid additional financial penalties.
He had already paid approximately 40,000 shekels in fines, in addition to legal fees and the costs associated with attempting to obtain a building permit, an approval that Israeli authorities systematically deny to Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem.
These demolitions are part of a broader Israeli policy that forces Palestinians to destroy their own homes to avoid exorbitant municipal fees, while simultaneously restricting Palestinian construction and expanding illegal Israeli colonies throughout the city.
Human rights groups describe the practice as a coercive measure designed to push Palestinians out of Jerusalem and alter the city’s demographic composition.
