Israel\'s policies in east Jerusalem are forcing Palestinians Israel\'s policies in east Jerusalem are forcing Palestinians to leave the city, a move which could constitute a war crime, according to an Israeli NGO which has taken the issue to the United Nations .
\"Housing demolitions, forced evictions and residency revocation are all leading to ethnic displacement in east Jerusalem,\" said Itay Epshtain, co-director of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) which on Monday published a damning report on the issue.
Jerusalem municipality spokesman Stephan Miller rebuffed the allegations, saying the report contained \"misleading facts, blatant lies and political spin about Jerusalem and lacks any connection to reality.\"
He said the city\'s mayor was committed to \"improving the quality of life of Jerusalem\'s Muslim residents.
But ICAHD on Monday submitted complaints to three UN Special Rapporteurs, demanding they launch an investigation into the legality of Israel\'s policy in the eastern sector of the city, which it occupied in 1967 and later annexed -- a move never recognised by the rest of the world..
The group\'s report \"No Home, No Homeland\" accuses Israel of making it almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain building permits, with the Jerusalem city council granting just 18 for a population of 300,000 last year.
Instead Palestinians build without permits, and their homes are often demolished by the municipality, which sends them a bill for the operation.
Families are left with no option but to rebuild illegally, move in with family -- or leave.