Israel razes five-storey building in Jerusalem without warning
• Ben Gvir ‘gleefully’ drives bulldozer at demolition site; residents not even allowed to gather belongings • Settlers attack photojournalists in occupied West Bank JERUSALEM: Israeli bulldozers on Tuesday demolished a five-storey residential building in annexed east Jerusalem, which was home to about 70 people, in a move the local Palestinian authority said was aimed at “forcible transfer”.…
On Tuesday, Israeli bulldozers demolished a five-story residential building in annexed east Jerusalem, inhabiting approximately 70 people, without prior notice. The local Palestinian authority condemned the act as an attempt at "forcible transfer." Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, who supervised the demolition, stated the structure was built without a permit, declaring, "I love hearing this noise.
We demolish what is illegal." The Jerusalem Governorate denounced the demolition, terming it a "dangerous escalation in the policy of home demolitions and forcible transfer." Upon arrival, a large group of Israeli police officers accompanied by three bulldozers stormed the At-Tur neighborhood apartments, granting tenants merely ten minutes to vacate their homes.
Hanine Hreibat, a teacher and mother of four residing in one of the ten apartments, recounted how police officers only permitted her to gather her medicine, money, handbag, and ID card before her forced departure. Among the debris, residents salvaged gas cylinders and clothing. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers assaulted photojournalists covering the event.
Jaafar Ashtiyeh, a 58-year-old veteran photographer for AFP, suffered injuries and was hospitalized. Despite the presence of Israeli soldiers around 500 meters away, the assailants, some wielding guns, attacked the journalists and seized their equipment.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
