The UN Office for the Coordination of Human Rights (OCHA) said that 43 Palestinian-owned homes or structures were demolished or confiscated in two weeks due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits.
Such Israeli measures led to the displacement of 54 Palestinians and affected many others according to a report released by OCHA covering Israeli violations in the occupied Palestinian territories between 4 – 17 June 2019.
32 those structures were in 11 “Area C” communities including the herding community of Khirbet ar-Ras al Ahmar (Tubas) where 11 structures were demolished on 12 June due to its location within the boundaries of an Israeli-designated closed military zone.
In another closed military zone in the south of al-Khalil (Hebron) Israeli forces demolished four homes in Halaweh and Khallet ed-Dabaa communities. Two water cisterns were also demolished in Tammun village (Tubas) due to their location in a nature reserve affecting access to water for the village’s estimated 13600 residents.
In the same incident and on similar grounds Israeli forces cut down 390 trees. One of the cisterns was for public use and was provided along with 150 trees by the Palestinian Authority.
The remaining 11 structures were demolished in east Jerusalem including six in Kafr Aqab and Bir Una — two communities located within Jerusalem municipal areas on the West Bank side of the separation barrier.
As for settler-related violations OCHA said in its report that 12 incidents involving Israeli settlers resulted in damage to hundreds of Palestinian-owned olive trees and other property.
In one incident on June 5 settlers believed to be from the settlement outpost of Adei Ad burnt around 300 dunums of land belonging to Palestinian farmers from Jalud village (Nablus) damaging 900 olive trees.
On the same day the local community reported that settlers burnt a further 233 olive trees and saplings and dozens of dunums of wheat crops belonging to al-Mughayyir village (Ramallah).
In three separate incidents settlers also set fire to around four dunums of land planted with wheat and barley crops in Ein Samiya village (Ramallah) and leveled around 15 dunums belonging to Yanun and Madama villages (both in Nablus).
So far since the beginning of the year around 4000 Palestinian-owned plants have been damaged by settlers.
The remaining incidents included vandalizing six vehicles and spraying graffiti on the walls of a mosque in Kafr Malik village (Ramallah) and destroying a greenhouse belonging to a farmer from Wadi Fukin (Bethlehem).
In the Israeli-controlled area of al-Khalil Old City according to eyewitnesses settlers damaged a new wall of a house and started construction activities in an abandoned Palestinian-owned shop.
A total of 15 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli forces across the West Bank due to tear gas inhalation rubber bullets and live ammunition.
In Gaza 238 Palestinians were injured by Israeli forces in a Great March of Return protest which was held on Friday June 14. 70 of them were hospitalized.
On at least 16 occasions during the period covered by the report Israeli forces opened warning fire in the areas adjacent to the perimeter fence and off the coast of Gaza. As a result six Palestinians were injured. Israeli forces also carried out an incursion and land leveling operation near the perimeter fence in the Rafah area.
As for the West Bank a total of 15 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli forces across the occupied territory due to tear gas inhalation rubber bullets and live ammunition.
10 of those Palestinians were injured during clashes that erupted in three search and arrest operations in al-Jalazoun refugee camp (Ramallah) the same city of Ramallah and in Bani Na’im village (al-Khalil).
Three others suffered injuries during the weekly demonstration held in Kafr Qaddum village (Qalqilya) on Friday June 14 against settlement expansion and settler violence.
Overall 119 search and arrest operations were carried out by Israeli forces in West Bank villages and towns of which 29 were in al-Khalil and 24 in Jerusalem.
