Al Jazeerah – 2010-06-29 15:55:02

http://aljazeera.com/news/articles/34/UN-blasts-Israels-destruction-plan.html

(June 29, 2010) — A UN human rights expert says that Israel’s plan to destroy several Palestinian homes in East al-Quds (Jerusalem) would violate the international law.

“International law does not allow Israel to bulldoze Palestinians homes to make space for the Mayor’s project to build a garden, or anything else,” UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the occupied Palestinian territories Richard Falk said in a statement.

He made the remarks on Tuesday after Israeli municipal authorities ratified a move last week to destroy 22 homes to make room for construction of a park and a public complex.

The plan will need additional ratification, which could take months, according to Israeli officials.

The site, called al-Bustan, is a section of the larger neighborhood of Silwan, which is home to some 50,000 Palestinians and 70 Jewish families.

Palestinians say the project is another attempt by Tel Aviv to cement its claim to all of al-Quds, adding that it is impossible for Palestinians to obtain building permits.

Israel captured East al-Quds from Jordan in the 1967 Six-day War. Tel Aviv’s annexation remains unrecognized by the international community.

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