Tuesday 10 August 2010

West Bank home demolitions continue

Palestine Note
9 August 2010

Bulldozer tears down structure. [Michaelramallah - Flickr]
As Israeli-Palestinian peace talks stall, Israel’s military continues to raze Palestinian homes in the West Bank.
Ma’an News Agency reported from Tubas in the West Bank Monday:
Israel’s Civil Administration began razing housing units Monday in the Ein Hilwa area of the northern Jordan Valley, campaign officials said.

Save the Jordan Valley campaign coordinator Fathi Ikhdeirat said Israeli authorities, accompanied by border guards, began tearing down structures and handing down stop-work orders to residents.

He described the move as an attempt “to clear the area of its indigenous people and include it into Israel and called on international human rights groups to intervene to bring the demolitions to a halt.

A spokesman for Israel’s Civil Administration did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

The US as arbiter for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process has called on both parties not to take part in an inflammatory behavior, but Israel has demolished several West Bank structures as well as Arab homes within Israel with frequency over the past several months.

Ma’an said the Jordan Valley in particular has been “a target for demolitions by Israel’s Civil Administration.”

On Sunday, dozens of Palestinians as well as foreign activists rebuilt areas in the nearby Al-Farisiya village that were recently bulldozed by Israel’s Civil Administration.
Over the past 10 days, several shacks, homes and agricultural structures were torn down in the village by the administration, which has complete planning and building control over Area C. Last Thursday, the Civil Administration returned to the valley to demolish 23 structures rebuilt by residents and farmers.
Meanwhile, in the nearby Bardala village, locals said the Civil Administration distributed several stop-work orders to residents in late July.

The orders, known locally as “demolition orders,” demand that homeowners appear before a magistrates court to defend allegations. Because legal action at the court rarely succeeds, the stop-work orders essentially constitute a demolition order.

Ma’an News Agency reported from Tubas in the West Bank Monday:
Israel’s Civil Administration began razing housing units Monday in the Ein Hilwa area of the northern Jordan Valley, campaign officials said.

Save the Jordan Valley campaign coordinator Fathi Ikhdeirat said Israeli authorities, accompanied by border guards, began tearing down structures and handing down stop-work orders to residents.
He described the move as an attempt “to clear the area of its indigenous people and include it into Israel and called on international human rights groups to intervene to bring the demolitions to a halt.
A spokesman for Israel’s Civil Administration did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

The US as arbiter for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process has called on both parties not to take part in an inflammatory behavior, but Israel has demolished several West Bank structures as well as Arab homes within Israel with frequency over the past several months.

Ma’an said the Jordan Valley in particular has been “a target for demolitions by Israel’s Civil Administration.”

On Sunday, dozens of Palestinians as well as foreign activists rebuilt areas in the nearby Al-Farisiya village that were recently bulldozed by Israel’s Civil Administration.

Over the past 10 days, several shacks, homes and agricultural structures were torn down in the village by the administration, which has complete planning and building control over Area C. Last Thursday, the Civil Administration returned to the valley to demolish 23 structures rebuilt by residents and farmers.
Meanwhile, in the nearby Bardala village, locals said the Civil Administration distributed several stop-work orders to residents in late July.
The orders, known locally as “demolition orders,” demand that homeowners appear before a magistrates court to defend allegations. Because legal action at the court rarely succeeds, the stop-work orders essentially constitute a demolition order.

Ma’an cited a recent UN report, saying some 86 Jordan Valley structures were razed two weeks ago, and another 17 were demolished the following week other parts of the West Bank.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanian Affairs said Palestinians living in Israeli-controlled Area C in the West Bank have no choice but to build illegally:

“The spate of demolitions raises concerns over whether Israeli authorities could further escalate demolitions throughout Area C,” a UN report said, noting more than 3,000 demolition orders handed down by Israeli officials to locals were still outstanding.

“Currently, it is nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain building permits to maintain, repair or construct homes, animal shelters or necessary infrastructure in Area C,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in its latest report on Area C.

Ma’an cited a recent UN report, saying some 86 Jordan Valley structures were razed two weeks ago, and another 17 were demolished the following week other parts of the West Bank.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanian Affairs said Palestinians living in Israeli-controlled Area C in the West Bank have no choice but to build illegally:

“The spate of demolitions raises concerns over whether Israeli authorities could further escalate demolitions throughout Area C,” a UN report said, noting more than 3,000 demolition orders handed down by Israeli officials to locals were still outstanding.

“Currently, it is nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain building permits to maintain, repair or construct homes, animal shelters or necessary infrastructure in Area C,” the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in its latest report on Area C.

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