UN, European countries condemn Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes and properties

The United Nations and members of the UN Security Council have urged the Israeli occupation authorities to halt the demolitions of Bedouin communities in the Jordan Valley, and for humanitarian access to the community of Hamsa Al-Bqaia.

Estonia, France, Ireland, Norway and Britain said in a joint statement at the end of a monthly session of the Security Council on the conflict in the Middle East they are “deeply concerned at the recent repeated demolitions and confiscation of items, including of EU and donor-funded structures carried out by Israeli authorities at Hamsa Al-Bqaia in the Jordan Valley.”

The statement said the concern was also focused on the 70 people or so living in the Bedouin community of Hamsa Al-Baqaia, including 41 children.

“We reiterate our call on Israel to halt demolitions and confiscations,” the statement, read by Estonian Ambassador Sven Jürgenson.

He added, “We further call on Israel to allow full, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access to the community in Hamsa Al-Bqaia.”

The statement continued, “We recall our firm opposition to Israel’s settlement policy and actions taken in that context, such as forced transfers, evictions, demolitions and confiscations of homes and humanitarian assets, which are illegal under international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, and are an impediment to a viable two-state solution.”

Also, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, called ‘Israel’ to halt the demolition and seizure of Palestinian property throughout the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and to allow Palestinians to develop their communities.

In a briefing to the Security Council on the situation in the Middle East, Wennesland said that Israeli occupation authorities “demolished or seized 170 Palestinian-owned structures in Area C and 10 in East Jerusalem, displacing some 314 Palestinians, including 67 women and 177 children. The demolitions were carried out due to the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain.”

The Jordan Valley is home to approximately 60,000 Palestinians, but nearly 90 percent of the land is part of the so-called Area C, the three-fifths of the West Bank that is under complete Israeli control.

It includes closed military areas and about 50 Israeli settlement outposts housing some 12,000 colonial Israeli settlers.

Also, 42 members of UK Parliament have signed a motion condemning Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes in Hamsa al-Foqa, caling their government to take action to prevent equipment supplied by British companies, including JCB, from operating in Israeli settlements.

Among the signatures are Ali Tahir, Jeremy Corbyn, Tommy Sheppard, Caroline Lucas, Zarah Sultana, and Olivia Blake.