jordan pulse -

​Extremist Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir participated Tuesday in an incursion into the town of At-Tur, east of occupied Jerusalem, coinciding with occupation forces demolishing a five-story residential building housing around 70 Palestinians, the majority of whom are women and children, according to the Jerusalem Governorate.
​In a statement carried by Palestinian news agency WAFA, the Jerusalem Governorate said Ben-Gvir’s participation in the demolition represents "official incitement against Jerusalemites and their presence," and an exploitation of the Jerusalem issue for Israeli electoral propaganda at the expense of Palestinian rights and the sanctity of civilian homes.
​It added that transforming the demolition of Palestinian homes into "electoral spectacles and displays of force" does not change the reality that East Jerusalem is occupied Palestinian territory, considering that employing such policies in Israeli political competition reflects an escalation in targeting the Palestinian presence in the city.
​The governorate noted that the building's demolition falls within the context of a policy of home demolitions and forced displacement, accusing occupation authorities of implementing systematic measures to impose new demographic and urban realities in Jerusalem.
​It further stated that licensing and planning pretexts do not provide the occupation with legal cover to demolish homes and displace their residents, amid what it described as denying Jerusalemites their right to planning and construction and refusing to grant them building permits, alongside ongoing settlement expansion.
​According to the governorate, the building's residents had pursued a legal battle for years to appeal the demolition decisions, incurring heavy fines and financial penalties, before receiving a final demolition notice just one day prior to its execution.
​The Jerusalem Governorate emphasized that East Jerusalem is an integral part of the occupied Palestinian territory, and that occupation measures related to demolishing homes, displacing residents, seizing property, or altering the city's character and demographic composition do not any legal rights.
​It called on the international community to take political and legal action to halt demolitions, evictions, and forced displacement, hold occupation authorities accountable for violations, and provide protection for Palestinians, demanding that Israel, as the occupying power, respect international law, international humanitarian law, and international legitimacy resolutions.
​The governorate stated that occupation authorities executed 427 demolition and bulldozing operations in Jerusalem Governorate between the beginning of the year and the end of September 2026, highlighting that these figures reflect the expanding scope of the demolition policy within the city.
​Source: Rum News Agency