'Israel' demolishes 56 Palestinian structures in West Bank: UN
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The United Nations reveals that the IOF demolished and seized Palestinian homes between July 25 and August 7 under the pretext of not having construction permits, which are almost impossible to obtain.
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Palestinians inspect the damage to the family home of Palestinian freedom fighter Diaa Hamarsheh that was demolished by Israeli troops in the West Bank village of Yabed, Thursday, June 2, 2022. (AP)
A UN report revealed that 56 Palestinian-owned structures, including six homes, were either seized or demolished by the occupation in occupied Al-Quds and Area C of the West Bank in just two weeks.
During this week, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that the demolitions and seizures took place between July 25 and August 7, under the pretext of not possessing construction permits, noting that they are almost impossible to obtain.
The UN body stated that the demolitions have displaced over 20 Palestinians, most of them children, and affected the livelihoods of some 3,500 others.
The report said that “Six of the affected structures were provided by donors in response to a previous demolition in Az Za’ayyem Bedouin community in the Jerusalem governorate, during which a total of 35 structures were demolished in a single incident."
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It added that “Fifty-three of the affected structures were demolished in Area C, including the infrastructure of a public park serving the community of Al Mughayyir (Ramallah). The remaining three structures were demolished in East Jerusalem, resulting in the displacement of four households, comprising 16 people, including seven children."
“All of the demolished structures in East Jerusalem were destroyed by their owners to avoid the payment of fines to the Israeli authorities,” the report stated.
More than 700,000 Israelis live in about 280 settlements built across the occupied West Bank since "Tel Aviv's" occupation of the territory in 1967. However, the international community believes that the settlements are illegal under international law and the Geneva Conventions, since they were constructed on occupied land.
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This year, 167 Palestinians have so far been killed by Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank, which exceeds the total number recorded in 2022. This makes 2023 the deadliest year for Palestinians in the West Bank since 2005.
