Today, Palestinian areas in East Jerusalem are characterized
by poor roads, limited sewage systems, few public services, overcrowded
Palestinian residential areas and high population density. The Israeli
Municipality of Jerusalem places severe restrictions on the building of
Palestinian houses in East Jerusalem. Only 12% of East Jerusalem land area is
available for Palestinian residential purposes, with less than 200 building
permits per year are approved by the Israeli authorities. The difficulty of
obtaining building permits has drastically increased the pressure on the
housing market and is continuously forcing Palestinians to build without
permits. These 'unlicensed' buildings are considered “illegal” by the Israeli
authorities and receive stop work and demolition orders. Since 2004, around 400
houses have been demolished and its inhabitants displaced forcibly as a
consequence. Today, over 60,000 Palestinian Jerusalemites are at the risk
displacement due to the possible demolition of their homes by the Israeli
authorities.
As a result of the economic pressure and the harsh Israeli
measures, the livelihoods of some of the most vulnerable communities in East
Jerusalem continue to be impaired. There is a sharp increase in unemployment
rates 25%2 paralleled
with an increase in the Palestinian households' percentage living below the
poverty line .
Due to the pressure on the housing market and the economic
situation, housing is becoming increasingly unaffordable and Palestinian
Jerusalemites have to seek solutions on the other side of the Separation Wall,
risking their Jerusalem Residency rights. Due to the lack of financial capacity
for maintenance, the poorest families are no longer able to maintain their
houses. An increasing number of families live in inadequate houses and some are
even forced to abandon part of the house. Sampling shows that recurrent
problems are leaking roofs, broken windows, substandard kitchens and bathrooms,
poor sanitation, high levels of humidity and faulty electrical systems.
In a lot of cases, no building permit would be needed to
bring the housing condition back to minimum standards through basic
rehabilitation works such as roof and façades insulation, plastering, painting,
repair of windows and renewal of the electrical systems.
