RAMALLAH, Saturday, January 14, 2023 (WAFA) – The Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission said today that the Israeli occupation authorities have issued 5,820 orders since 2015 to demolish and remove Palestinian buildings and facilities in the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem, in an effort to stop Palestinian construction, expansion and natural growth in the Palestinian territories.
It said in a statement that most of these notifications were concentrated in the Hebron Governorate, with 1584 notifications, Bethlehem Governorate, with 735 notifications, and Ramallah Governorate, with 704 notifications.
The head of the commission, Moayad Shaaban, said that the occupation authorities use the demolition orders as a means to prevent Palestinian development and urban expansion, specifically in areas classified as C, which are under full Israeli military control, by preventing the Palestinians from preparing structural plans for their villages, and not approve them if they were prepared and submitted to the Israeli military government for approval.
He said Israel wants to use this area, which represents 61% of the total area of the occupied West Bank, to build settlements and as a future strategic geographical reserve.
Shaaban said that last year set a record in the number of orders submitted to Palestinians, which reached 1220 in total in all governorates of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, a significant increase compared to previous years, with 875 orders issued in 2021 and 736 in 2020.
He pointed out that the new record indicates new policies and directions by the occupation authorities in dealing with Palestinian construction and the natural growth of Palestinian villages and towns.
