Self-demolition and mass demolitions in Jerusalem... Buildings and apartments face the same fate
Scenes of families being forced to dismantle their homes, stone by stone, under the perennial pretext of "building without a permit" have continued in the neighborhoods of Silwan, Jabal Al-Mukabber, Beit Hanina, and Al-Sowaneh. Images of demolished homes and displaced families have recurred, while the list of homes threatened with demolition has expanded to include dozens of apartments.
This Thursday evening, the family of Jerusalemite prisoner Aziz Abu Rammouz—father of the martyr Wadi’—began demolishing part of their home in the Karm al-Sheikh neighborhood of Silwan, under the pretext of building without a permit.
The family explained that the section subject to the demolition order has been in place for 18 years and covers an area of 50 square meters.
The Israeli municipality delivered the demolition order to the Abu Rammouz family at the end of last June, and they were forced to implement it to avoid paying fines (demolition costs) and to prevent damage to the rest of the house.
It's worth noting that prisoner Aziz Abu Rammouz has been arrested since early 2025 and charged with "incitement," while his son, Wadi’ Abu Rammouz, was martyred in January 2023.
In the village of Jabal al-Mukabber, the same scenario was repeated with the al-Qunbar family, who demolished two apartments.
Brothers Ayoub and Ibrahim al-Qunbar explained that they built the apartments in 2012, and three years later, municipal crews raided the site and informed them that the construction was "illegal." Since then, they began licensing procedures, but the municipality rejected the applications and issued its final demolition order a year ago. They imposed a fine of 50,000 shekels on the family, which they will be required to pay even after the demolition is completed.
Each apartment is 65 square meters and houses 10 people.
The Shkeirat family faced the same fate. Two days ago, the occupation authorities forced the Shkeirat family to self-demolish their 30-square-meter apartment, which housed five people, and imposed a fine on them.
Two residential buildings in Jerusalem are also threatened with final demolition orders.
Yesterday, Wednesday, Israeli municipality crews raided a residential building in the Al-Sowaneh neighborhood of Jerusalem and posted a notice from the "Land Enforcement Authority" requiring residents to vacate the building by next Saturday, pending demolition on the grounds of unlicensed construction.
The building contains 17 apartments housing 140 people.
The Israeli municipality issued the first demolition order for the building more than 20 years ago. Throughout that period, residents attempted to obtain the necessary permits and submit applications to the relevant authorities, but the authorities insisted on the demolition.
The residents explained that they had submitted a petition to the court, which postponed its response to the petition until August 7th.
In the town of Beit Hanina, the Halawani family continues to empty their apartments in preparation for demolition.
The building, which belongs to the family, has been standing since 2000 and includes six apartments housing 30 people, including the elderly and the sick.
The family explained that the occupation municipality issued the final demolition order in early May 2025, despite their repeated attempts to license the building over the past years. The municipality imposed building fines totaling 260,000 shekels.
The family explained that they would be forced to carry out the demolition to avoid imprisonment and to avoid paying new fines and penalties.
The Badran family in the Al-Bustan neighborhood of Silwan also emptied the contents of their home and dismantled the doors and windows after the final demolition order was issued.
The family indicated that the home has been standing since 2017 and covers an area of 70 square meters.
In the village of Jabal al-Mukabber, Adham Bassam Aweisat emptied the contents of his home, which had been in place since 2019, after a demolition order was issued on the grounds of unlicensed construction.
