UN: Much of West Bank closed to Palestinian building
Report: So far this year Israel has demolished 180 Palestinian structures, resulting in 319 Palestinians losing their homes.
By Amira Hass Tags: UN Israel newsIsrael effectively allows Palestinians to build in only 1 percent of Area C, the 60 percent of the West Bank over which it retains full control, according to a new report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The report also said that so far this year Israel has demolished 180 Palestinian structures in Area C. As a result, 319 Palestinians, including 167 children, have lost their homes.
Among the destroyed structures were 56 residential buildings, including tents and tin shacks; 70 animal shelters; 21 traditional outdoor taboun ovens; seven water pools, or uncovered cisterns; and two partially built cisterns.
The report stated that due to the severe Israeli restrictions, Palestinians have no choice but to build without permits. In 70 percent of Area C (44 percent of the West Bank), Palestinian building is entirely forbidden, as this land is earmarked for the settlements, the army, nature reserves or a buffer zone around the separation fence. In the remaining 30 percent, construction is theoretically possible, but getting a permit is so difficult as to be practically impossible. Hence effectively, Palestinians can build freely on only 1 percent of Area C - most of which is already totally built over.
These restrictions, the report continued, make it impossible to connect many places to water and electricity or supply them with proper education and health services, thus contributing to the misery of life in the West Bank. It also makes it impossible for the Palestinian Authority to develop in accordance with the needs of its growing population, most of which is concentrated in either Area A (Palestinian administrative and policing control) or Area B (Palestinian administrative control but Israeli security control).
The division of the West Bank into Areas A, B and C was part of the 1995 Oslo 2 accord. It was supposed to expire in 1999.
The report also quoted the World Bank's finding that Israeli planning and building restrictions have "become an increasingly severe constraint to [Palestinian] economic activity"
The report is entitled "Restricting Space in the oPt: The Planning and Zoning Regime Applied by Israel in Area C of the West Bank," where "oPt" stands for "Occupied Palestinian Territory." OCHA has submitted it to representatives of some 40 donor states to the PA.
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the same plan that launched israel's independence as a nation. and try to remember that the so-called "arabs" for whom "arab" state was to be formed were the people known as palestinians today... NOT as part of egypt, NOT as part of iraq, NOT as part of syria, and NOT as part of lebanon. it was THEY who moved to attack israel, and it was THEY with who m israel fought... but it was the "palestinians" who have paid the price ever since. and by the way, that 20% of the israeli population do NOT live just like you; now do they?
Most new Palestinian West Bank homes are built without permits because Israel denies the vast majority of Palestinian requests. This has been going on for over fourty years. Israel can then destroy those homes at will when it wants the Palestinian land. I have been in the West Bank and seen the home demolitions. I have also talked with Palestinians that have been denied permits for years. Because of marriages and family growth, those Palestinians have had to build without permits. Israel does not state the truth. The UN does.
We are fund raising for the UN to help this gentleman and his family. Where do we send the money ?
You write : the west bank IS "occupied" palestinian territory...... It is not palestinian territory at all to start with. When was it a palestinian state there ? did the Jordanians or Egyptians create a Palestinian state that could be later occupied by Israel ? Think twice before writing nonsense.
It was never Jordanian or Egyptian. Jordan anexed as a temporary trustee (it was forced to by the Arab League) Egypt occupied by AGREEMENT with Israel. Read the armistice agreement instead of remaining ignorant. "These two countries started wars and lost their land." It was never theirs. http://tinyurl.com/y8ewves/myths-mis-conceptions-propaganda/#Gaza-part-of-Egypt-West-Bank-part-of-Jordan "Palestinians who live in Israel, 20% of Israel`s population live just like I do" In complete ignorance?
Joe, you are right, but not completely. maybe in 20 years (or less) the Palestinians will be a majority in the region, but that will have zero effect on the oppression and racism of the Israeli occupier. Remember, the whites in Southg Africa always were a minority in the country, but that didn't stop them from p[[ressing the hell out of the majority. And your theory of empires that fall, you are right, but usually it takes a few hundred years before they fall, so don't expect Israel to give up on the occupation within 50 years. Considering the lackluster attitude of the world community, international pressure will never be the same as with the apartheid regime. (although we both know that the Israeli occupation is just as cruel as apartheid in SA was)
what on earth does Shalit have to do with a decades long landpolicy? Really the way Israel now tries to tie everything to Shalit is quite annoying!
Our God tells us we are right no matter what, because we are superior to you all! PS what about Shalit? How about the 10,000 Palestinians in zionists jail?how about the 1400 killed in Gaza? how about water? how about land grabbing, how about settlements?
Israel never took land from the Palestinians. The land in question was either Jordan or Egypt. These two countries started wars and lost their land. Palestinians who live in Israel, 20% of Israel's population live just like I do.
did you even the read the article?..my guess is you did the typical jewish knee jerk response and reached into your roledex of denial in the face of what seems to be truthful reporting.. facts are facts...
"instead of dealing with what really matters." what REALLY matters fred? continued occupation and stealing of land or a just peace and security for all, and Palestinians in charge of their destiny not Israeli soldiers.
neither gaza nor shalit has anything to do with what's being said... in case you've forgotten, the west bank IS "occupied" palestinian territory, and it DOES matter... so if you think that you can counter anything that's been said in their report...with FACTS... then please do! otherwise, all you're doing is advertising, for all to see, your petty resentment over the TRUTH being revealed about the oppression of palestinians by israel.
... that would be a semblance of justice... territorial exchange... in any case Israel settlers not interested at all in Negev & Galilee...
The UN is a misnomer. What about Gaza? What about Shalit? Why does the UN go out of its way to introduce anti-Israel rhetoric instead of dealing with what really matters.
Israel can keep demolishing and ignore the consequences of it's actions for as long as it likes. I think it's time someone explains to Zionists the building of sand castles parable. It really is that simple and it really does come crashing down that quickly despite all the effort to build. Empires MUCH greater than Israel were swept away by the tides of history. To continue to demolish homes of Palestinians, the very people who in 20 years will be the majority, is simply not smart policy on any level. Israel has not added one day to it's lifespan by demolishing a Palestinian home or building an illegal settlement. Justice is the only thing that will bring security and peace to Israel.
Israel is the OCCUPYING POWER in Area A, Area B, and in Area C, and the only difference between those three areas is the way in which (and to whom) Israel has chosen to DELEGATE its authority. But regardless of how (and to whome) that DELEGATION of authority has occured, the ultimate source of **all** authority in the WB remains the OCCUPYING POWER. And this bit that always seems to be missing from the zionist narrative: with that "authority" comes "responsibility", and the primary responsibility of an OCCUPYING POWER is towards the people under its occupation. I'll repeat that: not towards its own citizens, but towards the "protected persons" who are under its belligerent occupation. You have spent so long as the OCCUPYING POWER that you have simply forgotten that simple fact, and so you are (a) not only acting as a feudal warlord but (b) you don't even recognize what you have become. For shame, Israel.....
AS usual the UN are led by liars like the leader of the UN Atomic commission who after 4 years admitted IRAN lied with Israels existence at stake.He knew but as an Arab supported Iran. The buildings demolished were all illegally built by law. Mayor Barakat of Jerusalem , while halting Jewish building and soon to demolish Jewish Legal buildings just announced to legalize (to be demolished by the Courts) retroactively hundreds of illegally built Arab homes. But he is enforcing the freeze on Jewish legal building with PM netanyahu "personally taking charge".