Israeli human rights organization, B’Tselem, has released figures showing a steep rise in the number of Israeli housing demolitions in the West Bank compared to 2010 and 2009.
According to B’Tselem 103 residential structures in Area C, most of them tents, huts, and tin shacks, in which 706 persons lived (including 341 minors) were demolished by the Israeli army already in 2011. In comparison during the same period in 2010 there were 86 residential demolitions and in 2009 there were 28.
In the last week alone 33 residential structure were demolished; home to 238 persons, 129 of them minors.
Much of the demolitions, according to the organization, were in Israeli classified firing zones in which officially no construction is allowed to take place yet Israeli settlers are often allowed build on irrespectively. Almost half of Israeli controlled area C is classified as “firing zones”.
B’Tselem calls on the Civil Administration to cease its policy of demolishing Palestinian residential structures in Area C. The Administration must prepare outline plans for Palestinian communities there that will reflect the needs of the population and enable these communities to develop.
