Building Permit

Ziyad awoke to the familiar ugly rumble of a bulldozer. It was sitting right in front of his gate...

It was a joint family of fifteen that Ziyad headed. The ancient single-floor house with three rooms was beginning to appear smaller everyday. Another floor above would make things easier. But that needed a permit. He had been to the city on many occasions to arrange for it. But it was always the same denial. Eventually, after two years, he gave up. Meanwhile, a stone's throw away from his house, a beautiful and luxurious "gilo" came up in no time. The land had not been bought, just taken. Families from outside had come and settled down.

In desperation, Ziyad had gone ahead and built two rooms above his house...

Far away in Atlanta, the CNN newsreader read out, "Israeli bulldozers demolished a Palestinian home under construction. Authorities said that the owner had no building permit..." AbNQ