Israeli forces demolish family home in East Jerusalem

It took several months and tens of thousands of dollars to build. But on Wednesday, Jamal Abu Khdeir’s dream of housing his 27-member family under the same roof came crashing down in just a few minutes.

More than 40 Israeli officers and two bulldozers arrived shortly after dawn to demolish Abu Khdeir’s brand new home in the neighbourhood of Shufat in occupied East Jerusalem, witnesses said.

As soon as the destruction started, scuffles broke out. A 73-year-old cousin of Abu Khdeir said he tried to intervene to break up the clashes, but ended up being assaulted by Israeli forces.

“When the Israeli occupation forces were demolishing the home, the boys and men of the family started shouting at them,” Ishaaq Saeed Abu Khdeir, the 73-year-old, told Al Jazeera.

“The Israeli forces started beating them and it turned into a physical fight. I went to break them up so that the boys don’t get hurt,” he added.

“As soon as I turned my back, one of the soldiers, with all his force, pushed me to the ground on one of the bushes. I couldn’t get up and I’m still in pain.”

Ishaaq said that Israeli forces also beat and detained two other family members. The two were later released, he said.