Jerusalem/PNN Exclusive/By SWK - White plumes of smoke streak across the sky saturating the air with tear gas, a common sight in the East Jerusalem town of Issawiya that has become notorious for resisting home demolitions.
It’s been five days since the start of the gas this week, the first day resulting in one Israeli Army truck taking substantial damage from the young men’s rocks has meant sporadic assaults day and night and there is talk about a curfew for the upcoming weekend. However, the chaos erupting in Issawiya this week is nothing out of the ordinary as the tug of war for land ownership in East Jerusalem persists, and houses continue to be demolished under contorted legalities.
Israeli zoning policies allow for Palestinians to build on just 13% of the land in East Jerusalem. This 13% is already densely inhabited and doesn’t leave much room for new infrastructure or expansion for existing residence.
The United Nations declared its opposition to Israel’s action in Jerusalem in Resolution 465 stating that “all measures taken by Israel to change the physical character, demographic composition, institutional structure or status of the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967, including Jerusalem, or any part thereof, have no legal validity” stating a “flagrant violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.”
The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) estimated that there are currently 20,000 homes in East Jerusalem facing demolition orders.
The Jerusalem Municipalities website states “The Municipality of Jerusalem demolishes buildings or parts of buildings for reasons of urban planning, not for security matters.” The website also claims that houses are only demolished when not yet inhabited and when built without a permit on land that interferes with public plans for infrastructure like schools, parks and roads.
Citizens of East Jerusalem say this is not the case. Issa Nasser, a resident of Issawiya, tells PNN of his cousin’s house situated between preexisting homes that was demolished 3 times. On the third demolition the man threw himself from the top floor resulting in permanent paralysis and is now confined to a wheelchair.
“We apply for permits” Nasser states, “But they are not given to us, we have children, what can we do?” He asks, throwing his hands into the air. “We must build on our land to survive, to expand, would they have my sons marry and sleep with his wife and children here in my house? There isn’t room. I am not allowed to build up even, any building they want to destroy. I haven’t another option.” 94% of all housing permits requested are denied.
Palestinians are forced to build illegally because they are not granted permits, granting permits would interfere with the plan set out by the Jerusalem Municipality entitled Jerusalem 2000. This long term plan for the city openly intends to keep the Palestinian population in Jerusalem at 30% by 2020, a statistic that seems unlikely at the current growth rate of the Palestinian population.
According to the ICAHD Palestinians represent 30% of Jerusalem’s population but only reside in 7% of its lands, and are responsible for 40% of tax revenue and receive 8% of its spending.
The Jerusalem Municipality has confiscated 68 machines used for construction of homes between 2004 and 2010; the fine for retrieving ones machine can be as high as NIS 40,000.
Many groups like the Stop Caterpillar Campaign, The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions and The Al-Maqdese for Society Development help to intervene in the home demolitions, unfortunately everyday battles are lost and families are made homeless.
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