The Jerusalem municipality issues an order to demolish two residential buildings for Siam family in Ein Al-Lozeh
The occupation municipality in Jerusalem issued on Monday an order to demolish two residential buildings in Ein Al-Lozeh in Silwan that are owned by Hammoudeh Siam and his brother Mahran under the pretext of building without a permit. Joint crews from the municipality and Israeli forces raided the two buildings and hung a demolition order on the building and took pictures. Daoud Siam explained that the two buildings were built 10 years ago. The first building belongs to his brother Hammoudeh and consists of two floors (four residential apartments) where 12 individuals live and a total area of 540 square meters, while the second building belongs to his other brother Mahran and consists of one residential apartment that is 135 square meters where 7 individuals live. Siam said that his mother built the two buildings 10 years ago and the municipality issued a demolition order back then and imposed a building violation fee of 650 thousand NIS on his mother which she actually paid over the years. She passed away two years ago and the occupation authorities kept on harassing the Siam family through issuing demolition orders. He also explained that the last demolition order they received is based on the law “212” which is used by the municipality and prosecution to execute demolition orders. This law allows the general prosecution to issue a demolition order against a building that has been built without a permit even if the owner was unknown; the family was given 30 days to objet the order or the demolition will be executed. He added that the family tried to obtain a building permit throughout all those years and had paid more than 20 thousand US dollars for lawyers and engineers but the municipality refused their request claiming that the land is classified “green” and they cannot build in it.
