Israel demolished several Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, the first such demolitions in years, an Israeli organization said on Wednesday.
Ir Amim, a group which opposes Israeli settlement building in the occupied Palestinian lands, said four residential buildings were razed in East Jerusalem in the first week of Ramadan.
"For many years, Israel abstained from demolitions (in East Jerusalem) during the month of Ramadan due to its religious sensitivity," it added in a statement.
The group said the demolitions took place in Beit Hanina in northern East Jerusalem and Issawiya in the northeastern part of the occupied city.
"For the first time, Israel is violating its long-standing practice by carrying out home demolitions even during Ramadan-a sacred month for millions of Muslims worldwide," said Avi Tatarsky, a researcher at Ir Amim.
According to the organization, there was a 14% increase last year in the Palestinian home demolitions by Israel in East Jerusalem compared to 2023.
So far, at least 46 Palestinian structures have been demolished by Israel in East Jerusalem since the start of this year, the Israeli group said.
"Instead of the harsh demolitions, it is time to develop master plans that allow Palestinians to obtain legal building permits," it added.
The Israeli authorities use the lack of construction permit as an excuse for carrying out the demolitions. Palestinians view these acts as part of a broader Israeli policy to Judaize East Jerusalem.
Israel occupied East Jerusalem, where the flashpoint Al Aqsa is located, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. It annexed the entire city in 1980 in a move never recognized by the international community.
The International Court of Justice declared in July last year that Israel's long-standing occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, demanding the evacuation of all settlements in the West Bank and East.
