The Israeli military carried out demolitions of residential homes in the districts of Hizma and Tubas in the West Bank of Palestine on May 27, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The operation, based on information released by UN offices in the West Bank, involved Israeli soldiers conducting raids in these areas and demolishing houses deemed to have been built illegally. Those who resisted the demolitions were reportedly arrested.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in the Occupied Palestinian Territory highlighted the challenges faced by Palestinians in obtaining building permits from Israeli authorities, which are notoriously difficult to acquire. Consequently, many Palestinian structures are built without permits, leaving them vulnerable to demolition by Israeli forces.
"Violations are usually carried out due to the lack of permits issued by Israel, which are almost impossible to obtain. Israeli soldiers try to punish those who build houses without a permit. Houses are destroyed by military operations and raids," reported the UN Office.
The Palestinian publication WAFA corroborated the news, indicating that heavy equipment was deployed to demolish the buildings after a warning signal was issued.
International humanitarian agencies have swiftly condemned Israel's actions, yet the Israeli government has remained silent on the matter.
27 May 2024: Demolitions reported this morning in Hizma and Tubas, the West Bank, occupied Palestinian territory. https://t.co/hG9VUlAUXf pic.twitter.com/fr5upISYC0
— OCHA OPT (Palestine) (@ochaopt) May 27, 2024
According to the United Nations, this recent demolition adds to a concerning trend, with at least 10,769 structures demolished by the Israeli military in the Palestinian West Bank since 2009, resulting in the displacement of 16,332 Palestinians from their homes.
The demolition of Palestinian homes in the West Bank has long been a point of contention in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, drawing criticism from various international actors concerned about human rights violations and the plight of Palestinian civilians.
The origins of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict trace back to the late 1800s, gaining momentum with the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, which triggered the displacement of numerous Palestinians. Subsequent decades saw escalating tensions, punctuated by conflicts like the Six-Day War in 1967 and the first and second intifadas.
Despite attempts at peace, such as the Oslo Accords in the 1990s, the core issue of Palestinian self-determination remains unresolved. The conflict has been characterized by cycles of violence and intermittent peace talks, complicated by contentious matters like the status of Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
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