28. House Demolition in Sawahreh - February 2004
I received an early-morning phone call February 24th from Osama, a member of the Civil Committee in Sawahreh, concerning a house demolition that was about to occur in Jabal Mukabber, the part of Sawahreh otherwise known as West Sawahreh. This is the part of the village that was annexed to East Jerusalem by Israel. I arrived at 8:45 a.m. to find a multitude of policemen and soldiers controlling the area. Some were even on the roofs of houses and their jeeps blocked access to the home that was about to be demolished.
A large machine with a hammer attached to a vehicle began the act of demolishing this Palestinian family's home, a process that lasted only half an hour. The military also destroyed an animal shelter next to the house and damaged the street leading to the area as they left. The house had belonged to the family of Jamil Shqerat. Shqerat said he built the house six years ago without a permit because he was unable to get one. He was fined for building the home without a permit and still he was unable to get the necessary permission to prevent the building from being destroyed. Recently, the IDF told him the house would have to be demolished because it was in the route of the coming "separation barrier." There was no warning given as to the date of the demolition.
Roger from Germany
EA, Sawahreh.
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Abu Jihad (c.), head of the Civil Committee in Sawahreh, joins a family at the site of their demolished home.
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Jamil Shqerat and his three children are joined by members of the community in Sawahreh in looking over the remains of their home. Second from the right is Abu Jihad, head of the Civil Committee in Sawahreh.
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Jamil Shqerat and his three children survey the rubble that once was their home.
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Jamil Shqerat and his wife, along with their children and another member of the community in Sawahreh, look over the rubble that once was their home.
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Members of the community in Sawahreh, including the head of the Civil Committee, Abu Jihad (far l.), join the family that has just lost its home.
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Members of the community in Sawahreh, including the head of the Civil Committee, Abu Jihad (far l.), join the family that has just lost its home.
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What is left of the home of a Palestinian family in Sawahreh after it was demolished by Israeli authorities.
