Jerusalem inspectors hand out demolition notices in Silwan
Residents of east Jerusalem neighborhood say municipal inspectors entering various buildings, distributing demolition orders. Peace Now: This is a provocation by the mayor
Municipal inspectors accompanied by security forces distributed demolition notices on Wednesday in the east Jerusalem Arab neighborhood of Silwan.
Residents reported that the inspectors entered various homes, apparently to deliver demolition notices to buildings constructed without the necessary permits. Israel Police said it was not aware of any demolition notices being handed out in the neighborhood.
One of the notices, which was obtained by Ynet, read "You are using this land without a permit. If you do not comply with this warning, we will consider taking legal or administrative action against you."
A Silwan resident told Ynet. "They (inspectors) entered the Tawil family's grocery store. They are moving from building to building and handing out orders. I see 20 police officers and inspectors."
Peace Now said in response, "This is a provocation by Mayor Nir Barkat, who is implementing the settler 'price tag' policy (whereby settlers have vowed to attack Palestinians in retaliation for government actions against West Bank settlements) following the court order to seal off Beit Yonatan (a Jewish-owned building in Silwan).
"These demolition notices are aimed at threatening the neighborhood's residents," said the leftist group.
Barkat has expressed his commitment to implementing the sealing order for Beit Yonatan, but made the evacuation of the structure dependent on the demolition of illegal Arab buildings in east Jerusalem.
Beit Yonatan is a seven-floor building that was erected without a permit in 2004 in the mostly Arab Silwan neighborhood. It currently houses Jewish families associated with the right-wing Ateret Cohanim movement.
