Revenge Devoid of Purpose: Punitive Demolitions of Palestinian Homes. By: Jeff Halper
05-01-2016 12:34
“Punitive” demolitions, which have become a trademark of Israel’s latest round of repression against the Palestinians of the Occupied Territory, are not only a pointless lashing out against defenseless families, but are downright counterproductive, even by Israel’s own standards. Since 1967 the Israeli authorities have demolished some 46,000 Palestinian homes in the OPT, either as “collateral damage” in military incursions (18,000 were destroyed in Gaza during the 2014 attack) or because, since 1967, Israel has refused to grant building permits to Palestinians, who are then forced to build “illegally” and face demolition. In virtually none of these cases was “security” the reason for demolition, as testified by the fact that none of the owners were ever arrested.
