UN: Israel demolished 59 Palestinian-owned structures in two weeks
The demolitions displaced 96 people.
Jerusalem24 – The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that the Israeli authorities demolished, confiscated or forced their owners to demolish a total of 59 Palestinian-owned structures across the West Bank, citing a lack of Israeli-issued building permits, displacing 96 people.
In a report sent to the Palestinian daily newspaper, Al-Ayyam, indicated that the demolitions took place during the past two weeks.
The report stated, “most of the buildings (49) and the displaced people (84) were in the Ras al-Tin (Ramallah) Bedouin community in Area C. The demolition of an agricultural water tank donated in Furush Beit Dajan (Nablus) undermined the ability of more than 500 people to get water.”
The report also indicated that “Israeli forces carried out 91 search and arrest operations and arrested 158 Palestinians across the West Bank. About 45 university students were arrested in Turmusaya (Ramallah) during a protest against punitive demolitions, and 20 others were arrested in the Old City of Jerusalem during clashes with Israeli forces After more than 1,600 Israelis entered the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the rest were arrested in other circumstances throughout the West Bank.”
The report added, “in total, Israeli forces injured 615 Palestinians across the West Bank, including 24 children, the youngest being a three-month-old baby. Of all these, 588 were injured in protests against settlements in Beita (Nablus).”
The report also made mention of settler attacks, saying that “Israeli settlers physically assaulted and wounded three Palestinians in separate incidents in Hebron Governorate.”
