Jerusalem demolishes Palestinian home built without permit

Jerusalem’s municipality has carried out the court-ordered demolition of what it said was an illegally built Palestinian home in the city’s eastern sector.

Owner Ibrahim Ragbe says the home was constructed 15 years ago without a permit and that he was trying to get it licensed. He said 13 people lived in the house.

Dozens of police officers secured the single-story home on Wednesday as an excavator tore it down.

Jerusalem’s Palestinian population has long complained that it faces discriminatory housing policies that favour Jews. They say it is virtually impossible to get a building permit and have no choice but to build without them.

The municipality says zoning issues prompted the demolition. It says it is addressing a housing crunch in the city’s Arab neighbourhoods with new master plans.