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UN agency condemns large-scale home demolitions in West Bank

Just Earth News 08 Apr 2016

UN agency condemns large-scale home demolitions in West Bank

UNRWA

New York, Apr 7 (Just Earth News/IBNS): The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has condemned on Wednesday’s large scale home demolitions by Israeli authorities in the Bedouin refugee community of Um al Khayr in the South Hebron Hills.


As a result, according to UNRWA, 31 Palestine refugees, including 16 children, were made homeless in a community that has endured several rounds of demolitions and often faced harassment from the nearby illegal settlement of Karmel.

Already this year, over 700 Palestinians have been displaced by Israeli demolitions in the West Bank. This figure is approaching the total number of displaced for all of 2015, said Lance Bartholomeusz, Director of UNRWA Operations in the West Bank, who said that he was “appalled” by the “unjustifiable” demolitions, which are in violation of international law.

“As the UN has said repeatedly, these demolitions must stop,” said UNRWA.