Palestinian and Israeli activists, protest home demolitions in Jerusalem

Sunday March 29, 2009 02:36 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli sources reported on Saturday that approximately 150 Israeli Jews and international peace activists joined Palestinian Arab residents in their protest against the Israeli occupation terrorist government demolition of Palestinian homes in Silwan neighborhood in East Jerusalem.

The protesters called their rally “Jews and Arabs against house demolition”, Israeli Ynet News reported.

During their protest, the activists stopped by the ruins of a Palestinian house razed by the Israeli Authorities two weeks ago,

One of the protesters said that the family who lived in this house has no other place to live in, and added that even their furniture was buried under the rubble.

The Ynet added that Abdul Khaleq Shaloudi, one of the protesters, stated that the Jerusalem municipality issued in 2005 demolition orders against 88 Palestinian homes.,

He added that the previous mayor of Jerusalem agreed to sit with the protesters and asked them to prepare a master plan. The meeting came after a protest tent was installed.

“We prepared the plan, we paid $77.000 out of our own pockets, but 40 days ago the Israeli Interior Ministry met with us and said it rejects the plan”, Shaloudi stated, “The ministry claimed that plan contradicts the policy of the municipality, and we installed our protest tent again”.

Another activist accused Jerusalem Mayor, Nir Barkat, of adopting the plans of the settlers who want to take over the neighborhood.

The Israeli occupation terrorist government continues to demolish Palestinian homes in Jerusalem, while its municipality keeps issuing more orders against Palestinian homes, while the settlers continue to occupy Arab homes in the city.

Recently, US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, urged the Israeli occupation terrorist government to stop the demolitions and described this issue as not helpful to the peace process.

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