Khaberni - The Israeli occupation forces notified on Wednesday four Jerusalemite families in Al-Khalediye Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem of decisions that mandate the demolition of their houses, under the pretext that they are "unfit for habitation."
The notifications include the houses of Hashimeh, Masouda, Kastiro, and Saidawi families, who were shocked by the decisions despite having lived there for about sixty years.
The families explained that the occupation authorities have been refusing for years to grant any licenses for the repair of old buildings or to improve their structure, and they deliberately prevent the necessary maintenance that would preserve the safety of the houses, which leads to their deterioration and is later used as a pretext for demolition.
These notifications are part of an ongoing approach targeting the houses of Jerusalemites inside and around the Old City, through a systematic policy based on denying building permits, imposing high financial fines, and forcing residents into forced evacuation in favor of settlement expansion projects and settler associations, especially in areas close to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The families affirmed that they will resort to their lawyer to challenge the demolition decisions, warning that their execution will lead to the displacement of dozens of residents and will constitute a new assault on the Palestinian presence in the Old City.
