A Palestinian family residing in East Jerusalem was forced to tear down their own home to avoid paying exorbitant amounts in fines and demolition costs to the Israeli municipality of West Jerusalem, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

The family reportedly tore down their home in the Bustan area of Silwan, an East Jerusalem neighborhood, after it was warned that municipal crews would demolish it and force the family to pay the high costs.

The all-Israeli municipality claimed the family did not have a building permit.

Palestinians in East Jerusalem are forced to build their houses without a permit, because the Israeli municipality rarely issues them to allow the “legal” construction of their homes.

The procedures to apply for Israeli-issued building permits are lengthy, sometimes lasting for several years.

The application costs could reach up to 300,000 shekels ($79,180), according to the Applied Research Institute - Jerusalem (ARIJ).