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Israel Demolishes Illegal Palestinian Construction in Jerusalem after Years-Long Court Battle

(New York Times) Isabel Kershner - Israel on Monday began demolition of ten mostly unfinished and uninhabited Palestinian apartment blocks in eastern Jerusalem that were illegally built too close to the security barrier. Israel's Minister of Public Security Gilad Erdan said the government had acted after an Israeli court ruled that the construction constituted "a severe security threat and can provide cover to suicide bombers and other terrorists hiding among the civilian population." Palestinian officials condemned the move as a "war crime." The buildings sit on the Jerusalem side of the security barrier in an area the Israeli military had declared a buffer zone and prohibited building in. Israel's High Court rejected an appeal against the demolition orders by residents in June, and on Sunday dismissed another petition asking for a postponement, paving the way for the demolitions. The court "ruled unequivocally that those who built houses in the area of the security fence knew that building in that area was prohibited, and took the law into their own hands," Erdan said.
2019-07-23 00:00:00
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