UN Condemns Israeli Demolition Of Palestinian Shelter

Senior UN Official Condemns Israeli Demolition Of Palestinian Shelter

New York, Feb 21 2011 5:10PM
A senior United Nations official today condemned the demolition of temporary tented structures sheltering families from the weather in Khirbet Tana near the West Bank city of Nablus, the second such incident affecting this community this month.

"If the authorities ultimately responsible for these demolitions could see the devastating impact on vulnerable Palestinian communities, they might reflect upon the inhumanity of their actions," Maxwell Gaylard, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory, said after visiting Khirbet Tana.

Some 250 people live in the community, which is located in Israeli-controlled "Area C" in the north of the West Bank, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The residents have been in the area for decades, live in basic shelters (including tents and caves) and rely on herding and agriculture for their livelihoods.

Demolitions of basic shelter and livelihood structures place serious strains on the coping mechanisms of communities affected, who have few other options to sustain their livelihoods, Mr. Gaylard stated.

He added that, under international law, Israel, as the occupying power, "is prohibited from destroying property belonging to individuals or communities except when absolutely required by military operations."

ENDS

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