‘Israel’ Demolished Over 50 Palestinian Structures in Two Weeks

By Staff, Agencies

The United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [OCHA] said the ‘Israeli’ occupation regime has confiscated large swathes of land and demolished more than 50 Palestinian-owned structures across the occupied West Bank in a time span of two weeks.

The OCHA said in its biweekly 'Protection of Civilians' report covering the period between June 28 and July 18 that some 47 of the targeted structures were demolished in Area C, which constitutes 61 percent of the West Bank and has been designated as ‘firing zones’ for the Zionist military training.

Four structures were demolished in East al-Quds, including one home destroyed by its owners to avoid paying the fines issued by the Zionist authorities.

On four occasions, said the OCHA, ‘Israeli’ occupation forces conducted military training exercises near 13 Palestinian herding communities in Masafer Yatta area, south of al-Khalil. The drills restricted the access of Palestinians to basic services and put their safety at risk.

As a result, 40 people, including 21 children, were displaced, and the livelihoods of about 500 others were affected, OCHA added.

A Zionist regime court recently approved the forcible eviction and expulsion of 1,144 people, including 569 children, living in Masafer Yatta.

In early July, the ‘Israeli’ occupation authorities demolished a 200-meter-long concrete wall around a water spring facility near Nablus. The demolition directly affects access to water and the livelihoods of at least 22 households, comprising 132 people.

‘Israeli’ occupation forces have on numerous occasions issued demolition and construction halt notices and flattened Palestinian houses in the area, accusing the owners of lacking building permits. A United Nations study says such permits are “virtually impossible” to obtain.

Critics say the demolitions are political in nature and part of the occupation regime’s policy of dispossession and ethnic cleansing of Palestinian landowners.

The ‘Israelis’ occupied the West Bank, including the western part of the holy city of al-Quds, in 1967. They later annexed East al-Quds, the capital of Palestine.

Between 600,000 and 750,000 Zionist settlers occupy more than 250 illegal settlements that have been built across the West Bank since the 1967 occupation.

The UN Security Council has in several resolutions condemned the Tel Aviv regime’s settlement projects in the occupied Palestinian lands.