Thousands of Palestinian homes in occupied al-Quds face demolition threat: PA official

A senior Palestinian official says thousands of Palestinian-owned houses in occupied Jerusalem al-Quds are facing the threat of demolition by Israeli authorities.

The Palestinian Authority's deputy governor of Jerusalem al-Quds, Abdullah Siam, told the Arabic-language Voice of Palestine radio station on Monday that Israeli courts are considering the demolition of some 18,000 Palestinian homes.

He added that the measure comes at a time when there is a need for 15,000 housing units in the occupied city.

Siam noted that the demolitions of the Palestinian homes in Jerusalem al-Quds are in line with the Israeli regime’s collective punishment, ethnic cleansing, and Judaization of the occupied city through forced displacement of Palestinians.

Israel forces demolish 4-story building in Jerusalem al-Quds

Israeli forces demolish a four-story residential building in East Jerusalem al-Quds.

Israeli officials have issued nearly 650 demolition orders against Palestinian-owned structures in Jerusalem al-Quds since the beginning of the current year.

Israel's demolition of Palestinian homes and structures in occupied Jerusalem al-Quds and elsewhere in the West Bank are part of a plan by the regime to expand settlements and force Palestinians from their homes and land.

Israeli officials say demolition orders are carried out because the Palestinian-owned structures have been built without the required construction permits.

Palestinians, on the other hand, argue such authorization is routinely denied, forcing unlicensed building.

Cave-dwelling Palestinian family forced to demolish own home

Ahmed Amarneh, 30-year-old father of a family and a civil engineer, built his home a year and a half ago.

According to Israeli rights group B'tselem, Israel has demolished hundreds of houses over the years as part of the regime's "collective punishment" policy, leaving thousands of Palestinians homeless.

A report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released in January said the year 2019 saw a 45 percent increase in demolitions and confiscations of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank compared with the previous year.

The figures showed that a total of 393 Palestinian structures were destroyed or confiscated in Area C, which is under full Israeli control, compared with 271 structures in 2018, while the number of Palestinians displaced from their homes also increased to 507 in 2019, compared with 218 the previous year.

The demolitions of Palestinian homes come at the same time that Israel continues to expand settlements on occupied Palestinian land.

More than 600,000 Israelis live in over 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem al-Quds.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank are considered illegal under international law and are a major stumbling block to peace efforts as they are built on land Palestinians consider to be part of their future state.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk