Description

Graphic:
"C for Control: Areas of the West Bank".
Source: B'Tselem. Published by IMEMC News
____

by IMEMC News
July 30, 2023

Israeli occupation forces delivered, on Sunday, several demolition notices against 8 homes, 2 irrigation ponds, and stop work orders against agricultural structures, and roads, in the Nablus and Salfit governorates, local sources reported.

In the northern part of the occupied West Bank, soldiers invaded Furush Beit Dajan village, east of the city of Nablus, and delivered 10 demolition orders targeting 8 inhabited Palestinian-owned homes in addition to 2 irrigation ponds used for agricultural purposes.

According to Ghassan Daghlas, the official who monitors Israeli violations and colonialist activities in Northern West Bank, said that soldiers handed 8 demolition orders against inhabited homes and 2 against agricultural ponds in the village.

Daghlas added that one of the targeted homes was built prior to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank in 1967.

The 1995 Oslo Accords classified the village “Area C” which dictates that Israel has full civil, military, and administrative control of the area.

Meanwhile, in the central part of the occupied West Bank, Israeli authorities handed cease-work orders to Palestinian-owned farm structures and roads in the the town of Deir Ballut, west of Salfit, local sources reported.

Media sources said that Israeli forces stormed the town and handed 5 stop-work orders to Palestinian residents to vacate the land, stop construction on farm structures and agricultural roads.

The majority of Deir Ballut is classified as “Area C”.

According to the latest report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): Protection of Civilians Report, between July 5 and July 24;

“The Israeli authorities demolished, confiscated, or forced people to demolish 54 structures in East Jerusalem and Area C of the West Bank, including 20 homes, citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits, which are almost impossible to obtain. As a result, 66 Palestinians, including 34 children, were displaced.” – OCHA

“Some 60 % of West Bank lands have been classified as “Area C” and are under full and exclusive Israeli control. Area C is home to an estimated 180,000 Palestinians and includes the major residential and development land reserves for the entire West Bank. Israel prohibits Palestinian construction and development on some 70 % of Area C territory, arguing various rationales, such as being “state lands” or “firing zones.” Israel’s planning and construction policy virtually ignores the needs of the local population: it refuses to recognize most of the villages in the area or draw up plans for them, prevents the expansion and development of Palestinian communities, demolishes homes and does not allow the communities to hook up to infrastructure. Thousands of inhabitants live under the constant threat of expulsion for living in alleged firing zones or “illegal” communities. In addition, Israel has taken over most of the water sources in Area C and has restricted Palestinian access to them.” – B’Tselem

Features