West Bank, ALRAY - More than half a million of Palestinians live in 1948 occupied Palestinian lands, under Israeli occupation authority, faces the constant threat of displacement due to Israeli building permits policy that deprives Palestinians from obtaining licenses.
one million and 700 thousand Palestinians live in occupied 1948 Palestinian lands face serious crisis of land and housing, caused by the deliberate policies of Israeli occupation governments aimed at oppressing and restricting their numbers.
In addition to denies Palestinians building permits, Israeli occupation authorities issued 100,000 demolishing orders against Palestinian constructions.
Approximately 1.7 million Palestinians reside in the interior, and when compared to the previous figure, it is estimated that less than a quarter of the total population remains unaffected by the violations committed by the occupation and its institutions.
Ahmed Malham, the official of the Committee for Defending Land and Housing in A'ra, said that more than 60% of the Palestinians' homes in the 1948 lands do not have licenses.
Malham attributes this to the lack of detailed maps for their towns according to the planning, as Israeli occupation government deliberately neglected all the towns inhabited by Palestinians as part of an ongoing policy.
He added that Palestinians in 1948 occupied Palestinian lands received 100.000 demolishing orders, building violations and fines.
He noted that despite the existence of building violations among a number of Jewish individuals, the policy pursued by the occupying government is to regularize these violations.
Malham explained that the demolition rate among Palestinians exceeds 90% for issued orders, while among Jews, violations are regularized. It's an unfair double standard.
He warned that 60% of Palestinians in 1948 occupied lands do not own a single centimeter of land, while the occupation authorities refuse to provide building permits for the younger generations. It's worth noting that the 100,000 demolition orders issued against them target their private lands.
As a result of all the aforementioned factors, a Palestinian community consisting of no less than 5,000 individuals has been compelled to migrate abroad. According to Malham, this serves the demographic and nationalist interests desired by Israel.
The Palestinians residing in 1948 occupied lands are known for their tendency to travel for purposes like education or employment with the intention of returning. However, a significant number of individuals who migrated did not come back, even prior to three years ago.
In contrast, there is a noticeable surge in construction activities, particularly residential and other projects, catering to the Jewish population in the vicinity of Palestinian towns. These developments are implemented according to well-defined plans. However, when it comes to the core areas of Palestinian towns, the issuance of building permits is consistently refused.
Furthermore, Israeli institutions are actively engaging in an economic offensive against Palestinian businesses and their interests. This is achieved by focusing on alleged administrative violations as a means to exert control and undermine their operations.
Malham further explained administrative violations mean that the affected party cannot turn to the court for appeal or other legal recourse. Consequently, they are required to pay 600,000 shekels within just two months to prevent the demolition of their economic establishment. Afterward, they are also obligated to pay for the necessary permits.
"The amount of the violation is extremely high, and it is beyond the means of most establishment owners, factories, and others. Consequently, the citizen becomes trapped between demolition or abandoning their business and seeking employment in Tel Aviv or Jewish cities, which is exactly what the occupation institutions want from all of this," he noted.
Ultimately, the outlook for Palestinians living in the interior is grim and filled with uncertainty, as there are no concrete plans to address the crisis they face. Moreover, they have no viable recourse, including the judicial system, to put a stop to this ongoing assault, given that the judiciary itself operates within the framework of the occupying government.
Malham warned that if the pressure on Palestinians persists, a confrontation is unavoidable. The existing circumstances act as precursors to this potential conflict.
