Europe calls on Israel to halt demolition of Palestinian homes

Ten European countries have called on Israel to halt its policy of home demolitions and confiscation of Palestinian properties in the occupied West Bank.

The call came in a joint statement issued by the consulates general of Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the UK, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland and the Office of the European Union Representative to the West Bank and Gaza.

The statement called on "Israel, as the occupying power, to halt all confiscations and demolitions and to give unimpeded access to humanitarian organizations in the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem."

It also urged Tel Aviv to "return or compensate for all humanitarian items funded by the consortium of donors," in reference to Israel's demolition of buildings funded by the European Union since 2015 estimated at 1,291,000 euros ($1,385,300).

The 10 countries "strongly condemned the recent demolition of the donor-funded school in Jubbet Adh Dhib" and expressed "their grave concern about the threatened demolition of another 57 schools in the West Bank."

Israel widely uses the pretext of lack of construction permits to demolish Palestinian homes, especially in Area C, which is under the Israeli army control.

Under the 1995 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was divided into three portions-Area A, B, and C.