LAND AND WATER ESTABLISHMENT

PO Box 20873

Anata-Shu'fat Crossway

Jerusalem

Continued Property Destruction

16 Houses Marked for Demolition in Jerusalem Area

For Immediate Release

Thursday, May 25, 1995

Contact: Land and Water Establishment

Tel: (972) (2) 812364/824559

Fax: (972) (2) 811072

From the 5th to the 22nd of May, 16 families have received demolition orders in El Eissawiya village in Jerusalem. All of them, in response to severe overcrowding in existing homes, built additions to their houses. In one home, nine people live in one room, and their 200 meter addition is slated for demolition.

These orders highlight the continuing brutal measures used against Palestinians living in Arab Jerusalem, and the fulfillment of standard Israeli policy of curtailing the expansion of the Arab population in East Jerusalem to solidify Israeli control over the whole city. Permits to build are systematically refused, and once additions are built to Palestinian homes, they are threatened with demolition.

Land and Water Establishment condemns these policies, and has initiated a Jerusalem campaign to focus on the issues of land confiscation and property destruction. LAWE encourages all Palestinians to complete and mail the protest letters which have been distributed.

Also:

A demonstration is planned in Umm Tuba, Friday May 26 at 13:30, to protest the planned building of 6500 units for Jewish use there.

A press conference/informational tour and demonstration is planned in El Eissawiya village, Saturday June 3 at 11:30 for journalists and 13:00 for those wishing to join in solidarity with the people of El Eissawiya.

Land and Water Establishment is a non-governmental organization, dedicated to preserving human rights through legal advocacy. Their activity concentrates on land confiscation, property destruction and environmental issues.