Israel demolishes East Jerusalem apartment building, displacing 100
13:13, 22/12/2025, MondayU: Update: 14:18, 22/12/2025, Monday
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A construction machine belonging to the Israeli army demolishes a wedding hall, claiming it was “unlicensed,” in the Rafat neighborhood of East Jerusalem on December 16, 2025. According to local sources, Israeli forces, accompanied by military bulldozers, carried out the demolition on the grounds of “unauthorized construction.” The operation was part of a wider series of demolitions that also included a Palestinian home in the village of Deir Kaddis, west of Ramallah, in areas designated as “Area C” under the Oslo Accords.Israeli authorities demolished a 13-apartment building housing approximately 100 Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem's Wadi Qadum neighborhood on Monday. Witnesses report the demolition was carried out over a claimed lack of permits, with police using force to clear the area.
Israeli forces demolished a residential building in occupied East Jerusalem on Monday, displacing nearly 100 Palestinian residents, according to witness accounts. The 13-apartment structure in the Wadi Qadum neighborhood was razed by municipal crews who stated it lacked a building permit.
Alleged use of force during demolition
Witnesses on the scene reported that Israeli police forces assaulted Palestinians to prevent them from approaching the demolition site. The incident is part of a broader pattern of home demolitions in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas captured and occupied by Israel since 1967.
Systematic policy of permit denial
The demolition highlights the contentious issue of building permits. Palestinians and human rights groups maintain that Israeli authorities systematically deny construction permits to Palestinians in areas under its control, particularly in East Jerusalem and the 61% of the West Bank designated as Area C. This makes building legally nearly impossible, leading to structures being declared illegal and demolished.
Surge in demolitions since October 2023
Data from the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission indicates a significant escalation. Since October 2023, Israeli authorities have carried out 1,014 demolitions across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, affecting 3,679 structures. These include over 1,500 Palestinian homes, both inhabited and uninhabited. This policy persists despite a landmark International Court of Justice opinion last July, which declared Israel's occupation illegal and called for the evacuation of settlements.