Demolitions in the Jerusalem area, October 2022: Israeli authorities demolish 11 structures; 38 Palestinians, including 20 minors, lose their homes

On Jerusalem Municipality and Ministry of Interior orders, 11 structures belonging to Palestinianswere demolished throughout October 2022 in East Jerusalem and in adjacent areas lying within the al-Quds District of the Palestinian Authority.

Eight of the structures were homes, all demolished or sealed by their own owners on the authorities’ instructions. Four of the homes were occupied, and the demolition left 21 people, including 10 minors, homeless. Another home, where a young man lived with his two brothers, who are minors, was meant to for him to live in with his future wife. Following the demolition, the three moved back in with their parents. Three more homes were still under construction and were to house three families numbering 14 people in total, including eight minors.

Additionally, following orders issued by the Jerusalem Municipality, owners demolished parts of two homes belonging to two families, numbering 14 people in total, including five minors.

In addition to all these, three non-residential buildings were demolished.

Demolition details

On Tuesday, 4 October 2022, a family of eight, including four minors, were forced to seal their apartment in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Zur Baher, following an order issued by the Municipality after a court ruled the apartment must not be demolished due to the damage that would be caused to the apartment below it.

On Saturday, 8 October 2022, a family of three were forced to demolish their own home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Wadi al-Joz, following a demolition order issued by the Municipality. The demolition left the family homeless.

On Thursday, 13 October 2022, a family of three, including one minor, were forced to demolish their own home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Zur Baher, following a demolition order issued by the Municipality. The demolition left the family homeless.

On Wednesday, 26 October 2022, a family of four, including two minors, were forced to demolish two rooms added to their home in the neighborhood of a-Sa’diyah in the Old City in East Jerusalem, following a demolition order issued by the Municipality.

On Thursday, 27 October 2022, a resident of a-Sawahrah a-Sharqiyah in al-Quds District was forced to destroy the foundations of a house under construction intended for his family of seven, including five minors, as well as two warehouses under construction and a fence, following an order issued by the Ministry of Interior.

On Friday, 28 October 2022, a family of seven, including five minors, were forced to demolish their own home in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabal al-Mukabber, following a demolition order issued by the Jerusalem Municipality. The demolition left the family homeless.

The same day, a resident of the a-Tur neighborhood in East Jerusalem completed the demolition of two apartments under construction intended to house two families numbering seven people in total, including three minors, following an order issued by the Ministry of Interior.

On Saturday, 29 October 2022, a family of 10, including three minors, were forced to demolish two rooms added to their home in the neighborhood of Salah a-Din in the Old City in East Jerusalem, following a demolition order issued by the Municipality.

The same day, a resident of the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Shu’fat completed the demolition of an apartment where he lived with his two brothers, who are minors, and which was intended to serve as his home after his future marriage, following an order issued by the Ministry of Interior.