JERUSALEM—During the reporting period (10–16 February 2015), Israeli authorities demolished four Palestinian-owned structures due to lack of Israeli-issued building permits, affecting 25 Palestinians. This brings the number of structures demolished since the beginning of 2015 to 89 compared to 119 in the equivalent period of 2014. Additionally, at least one stop-work order and two eviction orders were delivered.
In East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities demolished an uninhabited house in Silwan, built in 2014, on privately owned land. Silwan has a population of some 55,000 Palestinians and is immediately adjacent to the Old City of Jerusalem. Due to its strategic significance, it has repeatedly been the target of Israeli settlement activities, as well as by religious settler organizations with government support.
Also this week, in Area C of the Jerusalem Governorate, Israeli authorities demolished a commercial structure and a horse stable, belonging to the al-Tur Bedouin community, and a two-storey building in the al-Khalayleh community, which included four commercial shops and one uninhabited residential apartment. As a result, a registered refugee family comprising seven people including four children were affected. Both
communities, along with 15 others, are located on the “Jerusalem” side of the Barrier, physically separated from the rest of the West Bank. Those residents who hold West Bank ID cards (around 1,500 Palestinians) are also denied access to the surrounding East Jerusalem area for work, markets or services. Movement between their homes and the rest of the West Bank, is conditional upon obtaining either special Israeli “seam zone” permits or having their names recorded on a coordination list at the nearest checkpoint.
Also this week in Area C, Israeli authorities delivered eviction orders pertaining to over 650 dunams of cultivated land in al-Shuyukh village, affecting around 20 families. The land was declared [by Israel occupation authorities—HLRN] as public land [which Israel also claims as “state land” for “Jewish nationals”—HLRN] in the 1980’s and was incorporated within the boundaries of the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba. A similar order was issued this week in Tayasir village (Tubas) calling for the removal of 300 olive trees; if implemented this would affect a family of seven.
