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PNN

On Monday 15th October, The Islamic-Christian Committee for Defending Jerusalem and the Holy Sites, condemned the demolition of a house and a horse stable belonging to the Palestinian Sufian Taha in Wadi al-Dam in Beit Hanina in Jerusalem, and also condemned the Israeli law to transfer these properties to the Israeli Custodian of Absentee Property.

Israeli authorities seized these properties on claims that their original owners are from the West Bank and in the Israeli law they are considered "absentees". This decision came to confirm that Israel practices the demolition policy within a strategic vision which aims to expel the land's originals residents and put restrictions to force them migrate out of Palestine.

General Secretary of the committee, Dr. Hanna Issa, said that Israeli authorities' policy of demolition is a mass punishment against Palestinians especially in Jerusalem, and Israel's pretexts violate international humanitarian law. He also said that the settlement expansion is increasing lately and Israel avoids negotiations regarding issues related to Palestine and Palestinians.

The committee concluded in a press release that practices and procedures of the Israeli authorities from demolitions and seizures of Palestinians' lands and properties is a violation for the international law and international humanitarian laws. In addition to, they are clear evidences that Israel refuses to negotiate with Palestinians to cease settlement and to recognize Palestine as a state on the borders of the year 1967, and they try to impose new reality and identity on Palestine.