22 July 2019; MEMO: The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is continuing its efforts with the International Criminal Court to push forward a formal investigation into Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes, especially in the town of Sur Baher, southeast of occupied Jerusalem.
In a statement, the ministry said that the Israeli Supreme Court rejected the Palestinian families’ request to cancel the planned demolition of 16 residential buildings in the Wadi Al-Homs neighbourhood in Sur Baher, which includes more than 100 apartments.
“The judicial system in Israel has proved to be an integral part of the Israeli colonial regime and has nothing to do with the law and the judiciary. It rather forms a cover and protection for the violations and crimes of the occupation,” the ministry said in the statement.
The Palestinian Foreign Ministry considered that “the silence of the international community toward such practices encourages Israel to commit more crimes and blatant breaches of the Geneva Conventions, International Law, and the International Humanitarian Law.”
With the refusal of the petition submitted by the residents, the court gave the Israeli army permission to demolish 16 buildings containing about 100 apartments in the area, on the pretext that they are close to the Separation Wall.
Palestinian-Israeli Member of the Knesset Ahmad Tibi said: “This is a war crime; the eviction of people from their houses and their demolition despite having permits from the Palestinian Authority because it is in Area A and B … This is a continuation and part of the policy of the White House to legitimise the occupation of Jerusalem and empty it of its owners.”
