OCHA: Israel demolished 72 structures in Eastern Jerusalem this year

The Israeli authorities demolished three Palestinians homes and one praying room for lack of Israeli-issued building permits, displacing 26 people including nine children, and affecting eight. Since the beginning of 2016, a total of 72 structures were demolished in East Jerusalem (including three on punitive grounds) compared to 79 in the entire 2015, UN Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported.

Israeli occupation forces temporarily blocked two of the main routes to Hizma village (Jerusalem), impeding vehicular access for some 7,000 people. This followed the detonation of an improvised device at the Hizma checkpoint (controlling access to East Jerusalem) the previous week, which injured a soldier.

In East Jerusalem, On 18 May, an Israeli court ruled in favour of a settler organization claiming ownership over three apartments and two shops in the Sheikh Jarrah area of East Jerusalem, and ordered their evacuation by 10 June 2016. Four families are at imminent risk of displacement.

The establishment of Israeli settlements in the heart of Palestinian neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem has resulted in increased tensions and undermined the living conditions of Palestinian residents.

In the Israeli-controlled H2 area of Hebron city, a group of Israeli settlers entered a Palestinian house and physically assaulted and injured a 16-year-old Palestinian child and his father; Israeli forces intervened and arrested the boy and his father pursuant to Israeli settler allegations that the two had previously attacked them.

An Israeli bus travelling near Tuqu’ village (Bethlehem) and the Jerusalem light train sustained damage as a result of gunfire and bottle-throwing, respectively, by suspected Palestinians, according to Israeli media reports.

Source : MENA