Israeli authorities razed 141 Palestinian homes and other buildings in July,
the largest number in any month since at least 2005. Yet Israel continues
to support and subsidize nearby Jewish settlements.
By supporting settlements on occupied territory and by erasing longstanding
Palestinian communities next door, Israel has flouted international law.
In one example, Israeli military authorities demolished the West Ban
farming community of Al Farisiye, displacing more than 100 people,
nearly half of them children. After officials forcibly removed Palestinian
residents from their homes, the bulldozers destroyed 26 residential
structures, 24 animal pens, 8 traditional underground ovens, and
12 outhouses and water tanks.
The authorities that ordered the evacuation stressed the fact that
Al Farisiye was in a “closed military zone”–it was classified as such
in the 60s. But an Israeli settlement situated less than 1 kilometer
away was never placed in the military zone.
In fact, settlers receive substantial subsidies for a range of activities,
including buying land, developing agriculture and tourism, and
educating their children.
In most cases of demolitions, Israeli authorities stated that Palestinian
buildings were destroyed due to the lack of an Israeli building permit,
which is nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain.
Ultimately, the home demolitions are a result of policies that discriminate
between the way Israeli authorities treat Palestinians and Jewish settlers
in the same area.
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