Israeli occupation authorities forced a Palestinian resident of Jerusalem on Saturday evening to demolish his home in the town of al‑Isawiya, northeast of occupied Jerusalem.
The Jerusalem Governorate said in a statement that the municipality compelled Majdi Atiya to carry out the demolition himself after issuing a demolition order months ago and threatening to execute it on Sunday morning while charging him the full, exorbitant costs.
According to the Governorate, Atiya was left with no choice but to demolish the house to avoid the inflated fees imposed by the occupation municipality when its crews carry out demolitions, in addition to avoiding the assaults typically carried out by Israeli forces accompanying municipal teams during such operations.
The home measured roughly 100 square meters and had housed Atiya, his wife, and their two children for the past four years, leaving the family homeless.
The Governorate noted that the demolition comes amid a notable escalation in the policy of destroying Palestinian homes in occupied Jerusalem, including during the month of Ramadan — a departure from previous years, when Israeli authorities would relatively reduce demolitions during the holy month.
This follows recent remarks by the new Israeli police commander, who stated that he would instruct forces to accompany municipal crews during demolitions in Ramadan, signaling a clear intention to intensify the policy.
While continuing to demolish Palestinian homes and refusing to grant building permits, Israeli authorities simultaneously advance the construction of thousands of colonial housing units for illegal paramilitary Israeli colonizers on Palestinian land in Jerusalem and its surroundings — a policy aimed at tightening pressure on Palestinian presence and entrenching control over the land.
While Israel continues to build and expand its illegal colonies, Palestinian communities and towns in occupied Jerusalem and various areas in the occupied West Bank continue to be denied the right to build homes and property under various allegations meant to prevent the expansion of Palestinian towns and neighborhoods.
All of Israel’s colonies in the occupied West Bank, including those in and around occupied East Jerusalem, are illegal under International Law, the Fourth Geneva Convention in addition to various United Nations and Security Council resolutions. They also constitute war crimes under International Law.
Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits collective punishment and acts of terror against civilian populations.
Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states: “The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.” It also prohibits the “individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons from occupied territory”.
Articles 53 and 147, prohibit the destruction of civilian property and classify pillage as a war crime.
