From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, July 17, 2019
UN urges Israel to halt demolitions of East Jerusalem homes under PA control
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleUN officials are calling on Israel to halt plans to demolish Palestinian homes in an East Jerusalem neighborhood, a day ahead of the court-imposed deadline.
The statement from Humanitarian Coordinator Jamie McGoldrick, West Bank UNRWA chief Gwyn Lewis and OHCHR head in the Palestinian Territories James Heenan said the UN was “closely monitoring” the situation in Sur Baher.
According to the UN, 17 Palestinians are at imminent risk of displacement, and 350 others are facing significant loss of property if Israel goes ahead with plans to raze the 70 apartments tomorrow.
“We join others in the international community in calling on Israel to halt plans to demolish these and other structures and to implement fair planning policies that allow Palestinian residents of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the ability to meet their housing and development needs, in line with its obligations as an occupying power,” the statement says.
On June 18, residents received a 30-day notice from Israeli authorities informing them of their intent to demolish the homes on the grounds the buildings are too close to the security barrier in East Jerusalem. Israel considers the area near the fence a security zone.
Demolition of unauthorized Palestinian-owned structures in East Jerusalem is not unusual. However, the homes slated for demolition in Sur Baher — a neighborhood that straddles the Green Line — are located in the Palestinian Authority-controlled Area A of the West Bank.
The Times of Israel Community.