Israel shows no mercy: 300,000 fear house demolition in ongoing ethnic cleansing programme
Over 300,000 people under threat of house demolition in occupied Palestinian territory
Source: Save the Children Alliance, 15 Jun 2009
Up to three houses are being demolished every day, and in some cases entire villages have been given blanket demolition orders by the Israeli authorities. The demolition orders leave more than 300,000 Palestinians under threat of losing their homes.
Broken Homes, a new report from Save the Children, Palestinian Counseling Centre and Welfare Association has found that families whose houses are demolished are given little warning and often have no time to collect any belongings. The impact of losing their home also has long-term health and mental consequences.
Since house demolitions started in 1967 it is estimated that the Israeli civilian and military authorities have destroyed over 24,000 homes. However, since 2000 the number of homes being destroyed has escalated with an average of more than a 1,000 homes demolished every year. This year (2009) has seen a massive increase, with more homes being destroyed than at any time since the Israeli occupation began 40 years ago. Nearly 4,000 homes were destroyed as a result of the military offensive in Gaza at the start of the year...
- Only 13% of families had a chance to collect their belongings before demolition began
- 97% of parents are at risk of a mental breakdown as a result of their homes being demolished
- Children whose homes have been demolished show a decline in their mental health, suffering classic signs of trauma, becoming withdrawn, depressed and anxious
- The majority of families whose houses were demolished were repeatedly displaced for long periods of time - over half the families (61%) took at least two years to find somewhere permanent to live
- Over a quarter of families had to split up so they could all find somewhere to stay.
Once a house is demolished, the family not only loses their home and its contents but is also liable for the costs of the actual house demolition. This can run into thousands of dollars.
East Jerusalem residents, rural communities in the West Bank, Bedouin, and refugees living in camps, communities close to the Separation Wall or settlements, and areas near Gaza's borders are at the greatest risk of displacement from building or house demolition. More than 300,000 Palestinians live in these areas.
The report is a joint study by Save the Children, The Palestinian Counseling Centre and Welfare Association that profiles 54 families whose houses were demolished by Israel.