Palestinians strike to protest demolition of homes in East Jerusalem

Palestinians held a strike Saturday to protest Israel's demolition orders of homes in east Jerusalem.

Shops and schools were shuttered throughout the West Bank and Arab neighborhoods of east Jerusalem after Palestinian officials announced the strike.

Official Hatem Abdul Qader said the strike was called after municipal officials and security forces visited several homes in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan in east Jerusalem. That spiked fears that the homes would be imminently demolished.

Municipal officials issued orders to demolish 88 illegally built homes in the neighborhood in 2005. They said the homes were imposing the law.

Palestinians argued in reponse that it was difficult to obtain building permits in Arab neighborhoods, and that they were forced to build illegally.