‘Israel’ demolished West Bank 617 houses in 2019
Ramallah (QNN)- New report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) stated that Israeli authorities have demolished 617 Palestinian structures in the occupied West Bank since January.
The report entitled “Protection of Civilians,” announced that 617 structures have been demolished or seized so far this year, displacing 898 Palestinians.
It noted that the figures represent a 35 and 92 percent increase respectively, compared with the equivalent period in 2018.
Twelve of the structures targeted, including five previously provided as humanitarian assistance, were in three herding communities located in areas designated as firing zones for military training in the Tubas, Nablus and Jericho governorates.
During one of the demolitions in eastern Nablus, Israeli forces uprooted or cut approximately 2,500 forest trees. The trees were part of a recreational area serving some 14,000 residents in the nearby town of Beit Furik and the Khirbet Tana herding community. This is the third such recreational area in Area C to be destroyed in 2019.
During the same period, Israeli forces opened fire on at least 15 other occasions in areas adjacent to the Gaza perimeter fence while enforcing access restrictions. Israeli forces intruded into Gaza and leveled land near the fence on the border. Four Palestinians, including three children, were arrested near the perimeter fence between Gaza and the occupied land in two separate incidents.
The occupation state also carried out a total of 154 search and arrest operations across the West Bank and arrested 146 Palestinians, including at least 17 children. The largest number of operations was in the Jerusalem governorate (41), mainly in Al-Isawiya neighbourhood of East Jerusalem, followed by Ramallah (34) and Hebron (27) governorates.
According to the report, Israeli settlers injured four Palestinians and damaged about 330 olive trees and seven vehicles during eight attacks in the West Bank over the past two weeks.
