IOA forces Palestinians in Sur Bahir to take down their own homes

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, — Israeli occupation authority (IOA) forced two Palestinians from the town of Sur Bahir to demolish their houses with their own hands on Tuesday for not having a building permit, local sources said.

Omar Ahmed Ramadan Deish, one of the homeowners, said in a statement “The issue of the houses dates back to 1994 after we paid violations five times with a value of 100,000 shekels (app. 30,000 dollars).”

Deish never received a building permit even after having paid the fine because the land was allegedly too small for the structure on top, and as a result of the difficulties Israeli municipality set before him.

The Israeli court has given the family until September 14 to confirm the house is torn down.