Israel Has Demolished 500 Palestinian Buildings in 2020, UN Says
In a statement, the UN office said 506 buildings were razed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on the pretext of lacking a building permit.
According to the statement, a total of 134 structures were demolished in East Jerusalem al-Quds. OCHA said Israeli forces brought down 22 buildings over the past two weeks, causing the displacement of 50 Palestinians and causing harm to around 200 others.
According to the UN office, eight demolitions out of 12 in East Jerusalem al-Quds were carried out by the owners themselves to avoid fines and fees imposed by the Israeli authorities, the Daily Sabah reported.
The other 10 demolished structures were located in Area C, which accounts for around 60% of the West Bank territory.
Israel justifies the demolition of Palestinian homes by lacking building permits, despite the fact that Israel does not provide such permits to Palestinians.
Moreover, Israel orders Palestinians to demolish their own homes or pay the demolition price to the municipality if they refuse to tear down their houses. Palestinians as well as the international community consider Israeli demolition politics in the occupied territories illegal.
The ongoing Israeli demolitions signal protracted wrangling over the future of Jerusalem al-Quds.
