The counselor of the Presidential Office in Jerusalem, lawyer Ahmed Al-Ruwaidi, said that Israel deliberately uses the policy of "individual" demolitions in occupied Jerusalem, during different periods of time, in order not to practice mass demolitions, which would strengthen opinion International year against Israel, and catches the world´s attention.
He indicated that 30-40 homes and facilities are demolished every month in occupied Jerusalem, and there are 20,000 homes threatened with demolition, and a set of laws are applied to them targeting the Palestinian presence in Jerusalem, among which is the subjection of al-Maqdisi to what is known as the "organization and building" law.
He said, "The percentage of licensed construction that the occupation authorities allow for Jerusalemites does not exceed 12% only, at a time when the need for construction in Jerusalem is estimated at 20-30%, to meet the needs of Jerusalem´s demographic growth."
Al-Ruwaidi warned of the occupation’s policy of demolishing licensed homes that were built more than 10 years ago, as is happening in Issawiya and Silwan, and the escalating occupation policy since the beginning of this year in Jerusalem, with demolishing buildings and homes, displacing families, announcing new settlement units, fattening existing settlements, and a policy Racial discrimination practiced by the occupation authorities with the right of Jerusalemites to build.
He said, "Houses threatened with demolition and in which there is a decision by the occupation courts, their owners are forced to deal with the occupation courts, and with what is known as the District Committee of the Occupation Municipality, through lawyers and engineers, in striving attempts to preserve the presence in Jerusalem," indicating that the occupation closes the door to Jerusalemites. By obtaining building permits and allowing the construction of settlements in a clear policy of racial discrimination, the approximately 360,000 Jerusalemites who hold a blue identity card, and are considered residents of Jerusalem, are forced to build without permits, to meet the natural demographic growth.
Al-Ruwaidi said: “We currently have 140,000 Jerusalemites living outside the occupation municipality in Jerusalem, amid fears that their residency will be canceled in the vicinity of Jerusalem, which means that there is a policy of forced displacement. His identity.
He referred to announcements about the establishment of new settlement units in Qalandia, Jerusalem International Airport, and Jabal Abu Ghneim, and the fattening of existing settlements at a high rate, and "this needs international positions even though there are positive signals that could affect the settlement prevention, through international action, and the court´s announcement." The International Criminal Court opened files for investigation of settlement crimes in the Palestinian territories, and international justice discussed the issue of the wall, and the issues of demolition, deportation and displacement within the framework of follow-up by international committees.
Al-Ruwaidi considered that the Republic of Kosovo opened an embassy in Jerusalem, as an attempt to gain international recognition, at the expense of our cause and the issue of Jerusalem, and not realizing that it is committing a crime in violation of the international law approved by the United Nations to protect international peace and security.
He stressed that the Czech Republic’s announcement of its intention to open a diplomatic office in Jerusalem requires its boycott, and there is responsibility for these two countries, despite their well-informed knowledge that they are in violation of international law, and despite this, “We continue to communicate with these countries and warn them against moving their embassies, and also with regional organizations. And international pressure to pressure these countries. "
