The occupation forces the families of Dabash, Al-Qarout, and Al-A’mas to demolish their homes south of Jerusalem
In a scene that epitomizes the suffering of Jerusalemites, three Palestinian families from Jerusalem were forced to self-demolish their homes, in compliance with municipal orders issued by the occupation authorities, which claimed they were built without a permit.
Amid scattered stones and memories embedded in the walls, the three families—Dabash, Al-Qarout, and Al-A’mas—stood to demolish what remained of their homes to avoid hefty fines.
In the village of Sur Baher, south of Jerusalem, the families complied with the municipality's coercive orders and collected the remaining stones from their homes to transport them and clean the area to avoid additional fines.
Al-A’mas family: A ready apartment demolished by force
Abed Al-A’mas said he was forced to implement the order despite its harshness. He explained that the apartment, located on the fourth floor, was ready for his son's upcoming wedding and had been built for only a year and a half.
He added that the apartment consisted of two rooms and its utilities, but the municipality had rejected any attempt to obtain a permit.
The Dabash family: Years of persecution (between closure, demolition, and excavation) and 700,000 shekels in fines
The Israeli municipality has been pursuing the Dabash family for years over their residential building. After imposing a decision to excavate part of the building's area, today it issued a decision to demolish an entire apartment and seal off the apartment entrances with plaster, forcing the family to use the external staircase.
Osama Dabash explained that the family spent many years in courtrooms, caught up in attempts to halt demolition orders, the accumulation of building violations, and efforts to obtain a permit that was never granted.
He added, "Several months ago, we were forced to cut a portion of the building lengthwise, and today we were forced to demolish an entire apartment and seal the entrance to the stairwell with plaster." He noted that more than 700,000 shekels were imposed on the family in fines and court petition costs.
The family explained that the municipality initially issued a decision prohibiting demolition, but only a week later, it rescinded the decision and gave the family six months to implement it.
The Qarout family: A family home, a chicken coop, and a sheep pen are subject to demolition
The Qarout family was forced to demolish their apartment and an external bathroom attached to a second apartment, in addition to a sheep pen and a chicken coop.
Moaz Mamdouh Al-Qarout said that the apartment that was demolished was where his parents lived. The family began building it in 2016, and moved in two years later. However, the municipality quickly imposed a 120,000 shekel building violation, followed by a demolition order, leaving the family with a fate similar to that of other Jerusalemites.
Why are Jerusalemites forced to self-demolish their homes?
Jerusalemite families resort to self-demolition to avoid the hefty fines imposed by the municipality, sometimes reaching more than 200,000 shekels. This is known as the "demolition fee," which includes the costs of machinery, crews, and accompanying forces.
Families also aim to avoid any damage to adjacent homes caused by bulldozers, and penalties can, in some cases, include imprisonment.
Although the process of obtaining building permits takes years and costs enormous sums, the municipality often delays issuing them or ultimately rejects them, making licensed construction an unattainable dream.
Jerusalemites face two bitter choices: either demolish their homes with their own hands, or have them demolished by the occupation's bulldozers. In both cases, the goal is to empty the city of its inhabitants and displace them from their homes.
