Israel to demolish homes of over 15,000 Palestinians

The Israeli regime authorities issued demolition warrants for thousands of Palestinian homes in the East al-Quds, a local Palestinian official said. Jamil Sanduqa, who chairs a local committee to develop the Ras Khamis neighborhood, said that over 15,000 Palestinians live in the buildings slated for demolition in the East al-Quds neighborhoods of Ras Khamis and Ras Shahada. The warrants were posted on 200 residential blocks each consisting of 40-70 apartments, Sanduqa said, Al-Alam reported. He added that municipality officers took photos of several buildings located near the entrance to the neighborhoods before they issued the orders. Among the buildings were a mosque and a newly built school. “The orders came very shortly after incumbent mayor Nir Barakat has been elected for a new term," Sanduqa said. "The municipal council of al-Quds is a racist council founded to demolish Palestinian residential buildings and to displace us from al-Quds and al-Aqsa Mosque.” He warned that if any building in the nearby Shufat refugee camp "is demolished, we will establish a new refugee camp in al-Aqsa Mosque erecting tents in its yards.” Israel has destroyed more than 500 Palestinian properties in the West Bank and mostly East al-Quds since the beginning of this year, displacing 862 people, according to UNOCHA. Israel has demolished at least 27,000 Palestinian homes and structures since occupying the West Bank in 1967. More than half a million Israelis live in over 120 settlements built since Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds in 1967.