Israeli acts amount to ‘war crime’
Amnesty International yesterday slammed Israeli authorities for the mass demolition of Palestinian homes in Sur Baher, and urged the international community to take action.
Israeli forces carried out a longstanding military-issued demolition order on Monday morning, targeting a number of buildings in the community that lies in both the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Dozens of residential apartments were destroyed, reported Middle East Monitor.
In its statement, the global human rights organisation pulled punches in condemning the home demolitions.
“These demolitions are a flagrant violation of international law and part of a systematic pattern by the Israeli authorities’ to forcibly displace Palestinians in the occupied territories,” said Saleh Higazi, deputy Middle East and North Africa director for Amnesty International.
“Such actions amount to war crimes,” the Amnesty official added.
Palestinian, UN officials and the European Union condemned the demolitions and called for an immediate halt to the policy.
Before dawn, hundreds of Israeli police and soldiers sealed off buildings in the area close to the Israeli separation barrier which cuts off the West Bank, an AFP journalist said.
Residents and activists were dragged out of homes, though most of the buildings under demolition orders -- a total of 10 -- were still under construction.
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