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Israel Demolishes Twice the Number of Palestinian Homes, Buildings in 2011

Mercredi, 6 avril 2011 - 7h26 AM

Wednesday 6 April 2011

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By Tania Kepler for the Alternative Information Center (AIC)

The United Nations reports a two-fold increase in the number of Palestinian homes and agricultural buildings destroyed by Israel this year, reported the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

Christopher Gunness, UNRWA spokesperson, said on March 30 while commemorating Land Day that “I name Land Day, Demolition Day. Homes, families, lives and peace process are being demolished.”

According to the latest UNRWA figures, in March 2011, 76 homes or structures were demolished, compared to 29 in January and 70 in February.

The number of people forcibly displaced by these demolitions has also hit a record monthly high with 158 people forcibly displaced in March by demolitions, including 64 children. In January 70 people were displaced by demolitions, including 47 children. In February 105 people were displaced, including 43 children.

Speaking on Land Day, Gunness said, “So far this year the Israeli authorities have demolished 175 Palestinian buildings and displaced 333 people of which 175 were children. This is having a devastating impact, particularly on women and children, whose lives are being destroyed along with their homes.”

In East Jerusalem, Israel has zoned 13 per cent of the city for Palestinian building, "most of which is already incredibly built up," Gunness noted. "They are forced to build without a permit."

Around 42,000 Palestinian homes built without required permits are threatened with demolition, according to Ittijah, a Palestinian civil society organization. Of these threatened homes, 13,000 could be carried out at any time and 30,000 are at some stage in local courts.

The Israel Land Authority, the branch of the Israeli government responsible for managing 93% of the land in Israel, which the country considers public domain, often claims that Palestinian homes, in places like Area C of the West Bank, East Jerusalem or mixed cities in Israeli, were built without permits, and are therefore illegal structures that should be demolished. However, housing options for Palestinians in cities now considered Jewish or Israeli are limited, and permits for building are almost impossible to obtain.

In addition to not giving Palestinians building permits, Israel also continues approving settlement projects in East Jerusalem and the West Bank that will require the demolition of Palestinian homes.

On 7 February, the Jerusalem Municipal Planning and Construction Committee approved on a plan for 13 new housing units for Jewish settlers in the East Jerusalem neighborhood Sheikh Jarrah. The construction will require the demolition of Palestinian homes.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, who visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory in February, strongly criticized Israel for its treatment of Palestinians and violations of international law.

“All state actions in support of the establishment and maintenance of the settlements, including incentives to create them and the establishment of infrastructure to support them, are illegal under international law,” Pillay said at a press conference on Jerusalem Friday (11/2) marking the end of her visit.

During her visit Pillay called for a halt on all settlement-related activities in East Jerusalem, as well as home evictions, demolitions, displacements and the cancellation of residency permits on a discriminatory basis.

http://www.alternativenews.org/english/index.php/topics/news/3483-israel-demolishes-twice-the-number-of-palestinian-homes-buildings-in-2011-