Jerusalem

24 November 2017

Local EU statement on the continuing threat of demolitions and seizures of Palestinian structures in the occupied West Bank

The European Union Representative and the EU Heads of Mission in Jerusalem and Ramallah issue the following statement:

The EU missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah deplore the continuing threat of demolitions and seizures of Palestinian structures in the occupied West Bank. The recent military orders against Palestinians in the communities of Ein al-Hilweh and Umm Jamal in the Northern Jordan valley and the community of Jabal al-Baba are leaving properties of up to 400 persons at risk of seizure and demolition. Last month four other herding communities covering 170 people in the Northern Jordan Valley lost their case at the Israeli High Court and two European donor-funded schools in Wadi as Seeq and Al Muntar are presently under threat of destruction and seizure. We are also deeply concerned about the intention of the Israeli authorities to demolish around a fifth of the housing and infrastructure in Susiya in the South Hebron Hills within the coming weeks. As winter arrives, an imminent demolition will leave up to 100 people, half of them children, without shelter.

In line with its long standing position on this issue, and reiterating its strong opposition to Israel's settlement policy and actions taken in this context, including demolitions and confiscations, evictions and forced transfers including of Bedouins, which all threaten the two-state solution, the EU calls upon the Israeli authorities to halt demolitions of Palestinian houses and property, in accordance with its obligations as an occupying power under international humanitarian law, and to cease the policy of settlement construction and expansion, of designating land for exclusive Israeli use and of denying Palestinian development.

Contact:

EU Press Office on +972-2-541 5888