523 Palestinian Structures Destroyed by Zionist Regime in 3 Months
According to the report by the Land Research Center (LRC), the Israeli occupation army demolished 188 civilian structures sheltering 854 Palestinians. Nablus province, in the northern occupied West Bank, hit a record high of 58 in the number of demolished homes. The Tana makeshift village was also subjected to three demolitions during the months of March and February.
The Zionist regime further destroyed 41 homes in Occupied Jerusalem, 33 in al-Khalil, and 28 in Tubas. Several Palestinian buildings were also demolished in Jabal al-Baba and Abu Nawar Bedouin communities.
The demolition campaign also targeted homes in Silwan, Beit Hanina, al-Tur, Sur Baher, and al-Mukbir areas. According to the center, "such a ferocious campaign” on Palestinian residential structures has seen an increase of 275% compared to the first three months of 2015, when 190 Palestinian structures were knocked down.
Most of the demolitions were carried out either under the unlicensed construction pretext or alleged claims of residents’ involvement in anti-occupation activism. Israel’s demolition policies have often targeted buildings located in the Israeli-controlled Area C, which covers 61% of the occupied West Bank.
UN official warns of Israel's "alarming" West Bank demolition trend.
Israel is ratcheting up its demolitions policy in the West Bank at an "alarming" rate, according to the UN’s humanitarian envoy for the region, Robert Piper.
Piper was visiting
Brussels to draw attention to the issue. The region has experienced a recent surge in
violence that killed more than 202 Palestinians.
Israel has long drawn international criticism for the demolition of homes and other Palestinian buildings in the West Bank, while at the same time supporting the expansion of Jewish settlements in the region.
Source: Palestine News Network
