UN Organization Reports Demolition of 300 Buildings in West Bank, Jerusalem in 2022

Palestinians inspect the damage to a house demolished by the Israeli army in the West Bank on June 2, 2022. (EPA)
Palestinians inspect the damage to a house demolished by the Israeli army in the West Bank on June 2, 2022. (EPA)
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UN Organization Reports Demolition of 300 Buildings in West Bank, Jerusalem in 2022

Palestinians inspect the damage to a house demolished by the Israeli army in the West Bank on June 2, 2022. (EPA)
Palestinians inspect the damage to a house demolished by the Israeli army in the West Bank on June 2, 2022. (EPA)

Israeli occupation forces have demolished or seized 300 buildings across the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since the beginning of 2022, a UN report has revealed.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ (OCHA) report, Israel widely uses the pretext of lack of construction permits to demolish Palestinian homes, especially in Area C in the occupied West Bank, which constitutes around 60% of its space.

It affirmed that it is nearly impossible for Palestinians to obtain such permits in the occupied Jerusalem due to the bureaucracy and policy of restrictions followed by the occupation authorities against the Palestinians in Jerusalem and Area C, where Israeli controls the construction process.

The organization accused Israel of exploiting the lands and space available for construction in Jerusalem and Area C for the internationally-banned settlement expansion, which is considered a violation of international law.

Israel has been demolishing Palestinian homes since it captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war.

Many Palestinians cannot complete the complicated procedures required by the Israeli municipality in Jerusalem or the city administration in Area C to receive the building permits. The procedures are costly and take years to be fulfilled.

The report backs other similar local, international and Israeli reports, including one by the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories (B’Tselem), in which it accuses Israel of preventing Palestinian development and dispossessing Palestinians of their land, with a view to enabling Israel to use as much of the West Bank for its own needs.

According to Palestinian officials, there are now over 20,000 housing units built without permits in East Jerusalem, all of which are at risk of demolition.

The figures reflect the demolition of Palestinian-owned structures and the resulting displacement of people from their homes across the West Bank since 2009.

Together with other policies and practices, the threat of destruction of homes and sources of livelihood contributes to the generation of a coercive environment pressuring people to leave their areas of residence.



Arab-US Coordination Aims to Resolve Sudan Crisis

Group photo at the conclusion of the Geneva talks on Sudan in August 2023. (EPA)
Group photo at the conclusion of the Geneva talks on Sudan in August 2023. (EPA)
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Arab-US Coordination Aims to Resolve Sudan Crisis

Group photo at the conclusion of the Geneva talks on Sudan in August 2023. (EPA)
Group photo at the conclusion of the Geneva talks on Sudan in August 2023. (EPA)

An Egyptian official told Asharq Al-Awsat about new Arab-American efforts to support peace efforts in Sudan. The source, who requested anonymity, said that Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and the US are working together to help resolve the crisis in Sudan.

The official added that a meeting last weekend in Saudi Arabia, attended by officials from the four countries, focused on boosting efforts to end the crisis.

These four countries had previously joined US-led talks in Geneva in August, alongside the UN and the African Union, to try to end the war in Sudan. However, the talks stalled after the Sudanese government boycotted them.

The Egyptian source explained that the Saudi meeting was not part of the Geneva talks. Instead, the current group of four countries is focused on finding peaceful solutions.

The source also said more meetings are expected to continue pushing for an end to the war and for humanitarian aid to reach those in need.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been in a civil war between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), causing thousands of civilian deaths and displacing over 10 million people, both within Sudan and to neighboring countries, according to the UN.

After the war broke out, Saudi Arabia and the US hosted talks in Jeddah, leading to the signing of an agreement.

The agreement aimed to protect civilians and prevent the use of private and public facilities for military purposes. The Sudanese government insists on fully implementing the Jeddah agreement before starting direct talks with the RSF.

Former Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister Mona Omar said uniting the efforts of key international players will help push for a ceasefire in Sudan. She noted that conflicting approaches from African, regional, and global powers have weakened attempts to end the war.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Omar stressed that coordination between Egypt, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the US would improve the effectiveness of humanitarian aid to those affected by the conflict, particularly in regions like Al-Fasher in Darfur and Gezira state, where conditions are critical.

She called for the focus of international efforts to be on “ceasefire, relief efforts, and creating a political roadmap to resolve the crisis.”