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The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) said Israel destroyed 467 structures and 140 houses in 2012. Over 700 Palestinians were displaced.
Since 1967, Israel destroyed around 27,000 Palestinian structures. Information comes from the Israeli Interior Ministry, Jerusalem Municipality, Civil Administration, UN bodies and agencies, Palestinian, Israeli and international human rights groups, ICAHD's field monitoring, and other sources.
Every structure demolished was lawless. Private property was destroyed. Residents were dispossessed and displaced. It's ongoing mostly out of sight and mind.
It reflects decades of institutionalized oppression against people whose only offense is not being Jewish. Israel wants Palestinian land for settlement expansions, commercial development, closed military zones, and other purposes. Non-Jews are excluded. What better definition of apartheid.
Oxfam's Nishant Pandey said:
"The Quartet has issued 39 statements condemning the government of Israel's violations of international law, yet the number of people displaced by unlawful demolition of Palestinian homes continues to increase at an unprecedented rate.""Words have so far failed to bring meaningful change to people's lives and the Quartet must now show Palestinians and Israelis that it is committed to working towards a just, durable peace."
According to Human Rights Watch's Leah Whitson:
"It's time for the Quartet to stop the euphemisms: Israel's demolitions of Palestinian homes and other structures without military necessity violate its obligations as an occupying power. The Quartet should press the government of Israel to end these violations immediately."
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