October 26, 2024: The Colonization & Wall Resistance Commission stated that since 2015, the Israeli occupation authorities issued 7783 notifications to demolish and remove Palestinian facilities and buildings to besiege Palestinian construction, expansion, and natural growth in Palestinian territories. Most of these notifications were concentrated in the Hebron Governorate with 2110 notifications, followed by the Bethlehem Governorate with 1101 notifications, the Ramallah Governorate with 887 notifications, and the Salfit Governorate with 720 notifications.
The head of the commission, Minister Mo’ayyad Sha’ban, said that the notifications issued by the Israeli occupation authorities in the West Bank serve as a means of besieging Palestinians in Area “C” and obstructing their development and urban expansion since the occupation controls planning in those regions and hinders the Palestinians' right to prepare and approve master plans. Such measures aim to exploit Area “C”, representing 61% of the West Bank's total area, for future colonial expansion and strategic purposes.
Mr Sha’ban added that last year, 2023, set a new record regarding the number of notifications issued to citizens. The total number of notifications issued across the West Bank governorates and Jerusalem reached 1333 notifications, a noticeable increase compared to previous years. The number of notifications issued in 2022 was 1220, compared to 875 notifications in 2021. This increase reflects the so-called “Civil Administration” adoption of new policies and tendencies towards Palestinian construction and the natural growth of Palestinian villages and towns.
Mr Sha’ban explained that the recent dangerous escalation in demolitions of facilities and buildings in the Palestinian territories is a result of the high number of demolition notifications. This sounds the alarm for more demolition in the future. Moreover, the arms of the occupation state, especially after the formation of the extreme right-wing fascist government, are working to execute the largest number of demolitions possible to besiege Palestinian construction and natural, forcibly displace Palestinians, and empty the land to control it and use it in favour of the settler-colonial project.
Mr Sha’ban added that the occupation state began to transgress into Area B by enforcing its planning tools, specifically in the wilderness areas of Bethlehem and Jerusalem. This includes issuing 10 administrative notifications to the residents of Al-Malha village in the eastern Bethlehem wilderness, an area classified as "B" under the Oslo Accords. He emphasized that this action represents a serious precedent affecting Palestinian construction within a nature reserve that falls under the planning jurisdiction of the State of Palestine.
Sha’ban also added that the displacement and expulsion measures carried out by the occupation authorities had turned pre-1967 laws in Palestinian territories, notably the Cities, Villages, and Buildings Planning Law No. 79 of 1966—originally aimed at developing population centers and investing in their infrastructure—into a tool wielded against Palestinians. This law is now used to impose demolition, halt construction, and enforce displacement through demolition notifications, contrary to universally recognized fundamental rights, especially the rights to housing, land ownership, land development, and the improvement of human life on that land.
Mr Sha’ban also warned of the occupation state’s plans, which currently aim to intensify the restrictions and demolitions of Palestinian facilities to empty Palestinian land, particularly in light of the alarming rhetoric expressed by the current fascist government. He urged citizens who have received such notifications to immediately go to the offices of the Colonization & Wall Resistance Commission with their documents to counter the occupation’s pretext and protect Palestinian construction in all its places of existence.