The municipality of Israeli occupation demolished on April 20, 2017 an under construction residences in Al-Sheikh Sa'd neighborhood in Jerusalem area of Jabal Al-Mukabir on the claim of unlicensed construction.

Reportedly, the house is owned by citizen Ashraf Mashahrah, who intended to move in to the house with his five member family including three children.

Citizen Ashraf told Land Research Center the following:

"  I built my residence in July  April 2016, to move in to it with my wife and three children. The house is of 150m² and is composed of three bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom and a living room. I did not apply to obtain a license from the municipality since the land, one which the house is founded is classified green areas, where construction is banned. Not only, issuing building permits and licenses are almost impossible and takes years to be done, not mentioning the high cost of such a procedure"

He also added:

" At dawn of April 20, 2017, a massive force from Israel Police and a military dozer arrived at the location, encircled the area and demolished the residence".

Land Research Center LRC sees that demolitions contradict with all of the International conventions and Humanitarian laws including:

• Article 17 of the (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights stating: “Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.”
• Section ‹G› of article 23 of the (1907) The Hague Conventions asserting: “In addition to the prohibitions provided by special Conventions, it is especially forbidden to destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war.”
• Article 53 of the Geneva Fourth Convention (1948) declaring: “Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons, or to the State, or to other public authorities, or to social or cooperative organizations, is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.”

This case study is part of Kan'aan Project