Israel demolishes 9 Palestinian structures

The Israeli authorities demolished nine Palestinian structures in Area C, including three in East Jerusalem, for lack of Israeli-issued building permits, affecting a total of nine families half of them children.

According to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) from May 19 to 25, the Israeli authorities opened the main road between the village of Beitin (2,700 people) and Ramallah city, which is their main service center, via the DCO checkpoint.

This will significantly reduce the travel time into Ramallah from 30 to 10 minutes; however, the way back will still require a long detour, as passage through the checkpoint in this direction remains restricted. The closure of this road since 2000, following the beginning of the second uprising (Intifada), has severely undermined the access of Beitin’s residents to services and livelihoods, forcing a significant number of families to abandon the village.

Five Israeli settler attacks resulting in Palestinian injuries or property damage were recorded. Three of these incidents took place in the Israeli-controlled part of Hebron city (H2), resulting in the injury of two children and the partial damage of a water network serving at least five Palestinian households. At least 235 Palestinian-owned trees were reportedly set on fire and vandalized in Salfit and Tulkarm, on lands located near settlements.

The Israeli organization Yesh Din reported this week that 85% of the complaints on settler violence filed with the Israeli Police and tracked by the organization since 2005 were closed without indictment.

Israeli forces conducted 91 search and arrest operations in the West Bank and one land-leveling incident approximately 200 meters into the Gaza Strip, east of Al Maghazi refugee camp (Middle Area).