Jerusalem report documents wave of demolitions of Palestinian homes and businesses

Ma’an – The Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights released a report on Thursday, documenting the demolition of several greenhouses, a car wash and a grocery in the town of Hizma during the two previous days.

On Tuesday and Wednesday of the same week, the report said, demolitions were carried out on homes and agricultural buildings, many of which were paying fines for or were in the process of appeals around charges of illegal construction in the area northeast of Jerusalem.

The center cataloged the demolitions as follows:

Flower shop and tile store owned by Abed Al-Aziz Shehada At-Tayeb, a father with eight children. The two adjacent structures, built on two dunums of land, were bulldozed.

Car wash owned by Muhammad Al-Khatib, who told the center that it was the second demolition on his property in a year. The first demolition, more than six months ago, was of a small vegetable stand. He estimated his losses at 100,000 shekels ($26,448 US) for both demolitions, and said he did not receive any demolition order for the latest incident. "The only order I was given, was one to keep the stones I sold away from the main road," he said.

Ghaleb Salah Ad-Din reported the demolition of a car wash building and an equipment shed. The father of five who also supported his parents with the earnings from the small business, said he was worried about the future of his family.

A greenhouse and roadside garden shop belonging to Jamal Salah Ad-Din was also demolished. Bulldozers took down two structures built on four dunums of land. The owner estimated his losses at 200,000 shekels ($52,896 US), and said he had no idea the demolition was about to happen, as he was still paying off a fine for illegal construction of 430 shekels per month. He said he had paid the fines regularly since last year after the issue was brought to court.

Greenhouse and construction materials shop belonging to the Mohammad Fayez Subeih family, with ten children. Subeih said he received a demolition order less than one year ago, but he could not afford court fees. The two structures were bulldozed and the materials and plants were confiscated.

Greenhouse and shed belonging to Afeef Ahmad Suleiman Askar built on five dunums of land. Askar said a demolition order was previously issued by the Israeli municipality, which had also fined him three times for the infraction.