'Israel' threatens 130,000 Palestinians with home demolition
3 Min Read
House demolition is one face of "Israel's" aggressive policy against Palestinians, which aims to expel them from their land.
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Israeli occupation demolishing a Palestinian home.
A new report showed that up to 130,000 Palestinians who reside in territories occupied by “Israel” following the 1948 war face the possibility of having their houses demolished, according to a study.
The Arab Center for Alternative Planning (ACAP) and the Sikkuy-Aufoq Organization released the study Saturday as per the Palestinian Information Center news agency.
The statistics were created by counting the number of Palestinian-owned buildings that lacks the so-called "construction permits".
The 130,000 Palestinians live in approximately 29,000 buildings that have “failed” to obtain permits due to restrictions or dilatory tactics intentionally used by the Israeli occupation.
Nearly 90% of the constructions are located "within the approved structural designs and inside areas designated for housing," according to the report.
However, the Israeli occupation has stopped short of completing the "required planning procedures" in those places where licenses can be issued.
"Israel" frequently labels Palestinian territories as "firing zones," "training areas," or "nature reserves" in order to expel Palestinians from their lands prior to the arrival of illegal settlers.
The Israeli occupation widely used the policy of expelling entire families in a direct violation of International Human Rights Law.
The US: A partner in crime
The Israeli occupation has escalated both settlement expansion and demolitions since Biden took office. "Israel" approved plans for 4,427 dwelling units in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank in the first six months of this year, as per the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).
This is a significant increase from the 3,645 units permitted for the entire year last year.
According to a recent NRC research, "Israel" has relocated an average of three Palestinians for every day Biden has been in office since January 2021. According to UN OCHA, 1,657 Palestinians have been displaced as a result of the demolition of 1,269 structures throughout the occupied West Bank, including occupied Al-Quds.
In May, the Israeli occupation court dismissed all petitions challenging the forceful expulsion of up to 1,200 Palestinians from Masafer Yatta, a huge area of the southern occupied West Bank proclaimed a closed military zone by “Israel".
Would you destroy your own home if forced to?
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) January 17, 2022
Recently, #Palestinians are being forced to demolish their own homes with their own hands, the same houses they have been living in long before the Israeli occupation. #Palestine #SaveShiekhJarrah #SaveNaqab pic.twitter.com/vpDTGa8pBl
Adding insult to injury: The Israeli occupation forces pursued a policy of demolishing homes, whether through their inhuman tactics or by forcing their owners to demolish them themselves, in an attempt to subjugate and pressure the Palestinians.
