Middle East Monitor / September 6, 2022
The Israeli occupation forces have demolished 36 Palestinian-owned homes in Jericho and the Jordan Valley since the beginning of 2022, local activists revealed on Monday. At least 90 homes have been targeted for demolition there in the same period.
According to the activists, the occupation authorities have launched a frantic effort to seize the land belonging to Palestinian citizens in Jericho and the Jordan Valley. The Israeli intention is to expand the illegal settlements in the area.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) has said that the Israeli occupation forces demolished, confiscated or forced the owners to demolish 55 Palestinian-owned structures in East Jerusalem and Area C of the West Bank between 16 and 29 August alone.
“As a result, 61 people, including 31 children, were displaced, and the livelihoods of about 200 others were affected,” said OCHA in a report issued at the weekend. “Some 47 of the structures were in Area C, including seven in Al-Jiftlik Ash-Shuneh, in a designated ‘firing zone’ for Israeli military training, and where Palestinian communities are at risk of forcible transfer.”
In occupied East Jerusalem, the UN body continued, “Eight other structures were demolished, including five destroyed by their owners to avoid paying fines imposed by Israeli authorities when they conduct the demolitions.”
Israel often designates Palestinian areas as “firing zones”, “training areas” or “nature reserves” in order to force the indigenous population off the land prior to illegal settlers moving in.
