During the early hours of Tuesday morning 20 Tammuz, an unprecedented enforcement operation took place by the National Unit for Enforcing Planning & Construction, demolishing 14 illegal buildings in Kalandia, near the separation fence in sovereign Jerusalem territory.

Due to the scope of the operation, teams from across the county participated in the operation.

In recent weeks, some 14 houses were built illegally near the security fence, adjacent to the northern Jerusalem Atarot Industrial Park. Some of the buildings were built in the prohibited area precisely due to their proximity to the border barrier. The National Unit for Enforcing Planning & Construction in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense, acted to carry out administrative demolition orders against illegally constructed buildings. All the buildings were under construction and not yet occupied.

Riots accompanied the operations, including blockades and using axes to prevent officials from reaching the areas. Border police were out in large numbers to provide security during implementation of the operation. PA (Palestinian Authority) media sources report at least 30 persons were injured by rubber-coated bullets. Simultaneously, an operation to enforce the building code was ongoing in the eastern capital in which six other illegal structures were razed, all not-yet occupied.

Officials add that efforts to construct buildings in prohibited areas at Kalandia ‘buffer zone’ have been on the increase in recent months.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)