The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has said that the Israeli authorities demolished or seized 52 Palestinian structures mostly homes during two weeks in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
In a report issued on Thursday OCHA explained that a total of 52 Palestinian-owned structures were demolished or confiscated during the period from November 24 to December 7 at the pretext that the owners had no Israeli-issued building permits.
Such measures displaced 67 people and affected about 860 others according to its report.
49 of those structures were demolished or seized in Area C of the West Bank and three in east Jerusalem.
On 25 November the Israeli authorities demolished 10 structures including about four kilometers of water pipes provided as humanitarian assistance in seven communities in the Masafer Yatta area of southern al-Khalil. Most of this area is designated closed for military training placing its 1400 residents at risk of a forcible transfer.
“The demolition of 13 structures during this period was carried out on the basis of Military Order 1797 which allows for demolitions within 96 hours of the issuance of a removal order.”
“Two of the three residential structures demolished in East Jerusalem were carried out by the owners to avoid additional fines and charges” OCHA pointed out.
