The European Union (EU) missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah released a statement last week, regarding a spike in Palestinian-owned home demolitions ordered and carried out by Israeli authorities in the occupied West Bank so far in 2020, Palestinian WAFA News Agency reported.
The statement noted that Israeli demolition of Palestinian homes, not only continued during the holy month of Ramadan, but in fact increased three-fold compared to 2019.
The statement went on to say, “In line with the EU’s long-standing position on Israel’s settlement policy – illegal under international law – and actions taken in that context, such as forced transfers, eviction, demolition and confiscation of homes, the EU urges the Israeli authorities to halt demolitions of Palestinian structures.”
On Thursday, six Palestinian families from the village of al-Tira, southwest of Ramallah, were handed demolition orders by the occupation forces, under the pretext of lacking an Israeli building permit, WAFA reported.
On Friday, the Palestinian Bashir family, in the Jabal al-Mukaber neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem, started to knock down its 85 square meter home, as ordered by the Israeli municipality.
The demolition displaced the six-member family, which includes elderly disabled Rasmiya Bashir, confined to a wheelchair.
~ WAFA, PIC
Image: Alray
