Demolitions in occupied East Jerusalem halted to save settler home

By The Daily Star and Agence France Presse (AFP)
Friday, January 22, 2010

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Plans to raze illegally built houses in mainly Arab occupied East Jerusalem have been halted to avoid having to tear down a building occupied by Jewish settlers, Israeli Army Radio said on Thursday.

Rightwing Deputy Mayor David Hadari said he had frozen the transfer of funds to be used for house demolitions.

“Before I unblock the funds, I want the priorities to be determined. One cannot demolish everything in one day or even one year, and there is no reason to start with a house inhabited by Jews. It is better to start with buildings that are a bigger nuisance,” he said.

In 2007 Jewish settlers were ordered to evacuate an illegally built seven-storey building in the heart of the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan, but the eviction order, which is opposed by Mayor Nir Barkat and most of the municipal council, has not been enforced.

Hadari said that among the 117 buildings in occupied Jerusalem under demolition orders it is the only one in which Jews reside.

Municipal councilor Meir Margalit hailed the decision, saying “one can only welcome a measure that postpones the demolition of Arab homes.”

Many Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem risk having their homes razed because Israel, which is illegally occupying the territory, says the homes were built or expanded without the necessary permits, which are nearly impossible to obtain from Israeli authorities.

Several Western countries including the United States and Britain have urged Israel to refrain from such demolitions, to avoid further harming the already hobbled Middle East peace process.

Israel captured East Jerusalem with the rest of the West Bank in the 1967 war and began occupying both Palestinian territories thereafter.

Source: The Daily Star.
Link: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=110949.