Kerbeh Tanna, north of Nablus, has been demolished for the 6th time, on Wednesday, after residents recently re-built it.Early in the morning 20 structures, including homes, were demolished by three bulldozers, under the protection of the Israeli military. The military presence included 13 patrol cars.
The Israeli military began their attacks against the village in 2005, and claim that the temporary structures, that house 200 persons, must be demolished due to the lack of permits issued to the village.
The demolition of Palestinian homes, such as in Khirbet Tana, is illegal under international law as stipulated in article 53 of the 4th Geneva convention. Visiting the village on the 21st February, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory stated that, “If the authorities ultimately responsible for these demolitions could see the devastating impact on vulnerable Palestinian communities, they might reflect upon the inhumanity of their actions.’
He reiterated that ‘under international law, Israel, as the occupying power in the oPt [occupied Palestinian territories], is prohibited from destroying property belonging to individuals or communities except when absolutely required by military operations”.
