The ACT Palestine Forum has endorsed a joint statement by CIDSE and ACT Alliance EU on Demolitions in the Masafer Yatta communities.
A recent decision by the Israeli High Court of Justice “effectively gave a green light to forcibly transfer over a 1000 people from 8 villages in the area that the Israeli military has declared as a ‘’firing zone 918’’,” according to the statement.
The West Bank Protection Consortium reports “an increase in military pressure on the residents and has documented the destruction of at least 27 structures, including 16 donor-funded structures and 12 homes. As reported by the UN OCHA, the Israeli authorities did not allow alternative shelters to be installed in several communities after the demolitions.”
The statement goes on to call for the EU and member states to:
- Engage diplomatically with the Israeli government at the highest level to signal that forcible transfer of Masafer Yatta residents – a grave breach of international law – will have consequences for bilateral relations of the EU and the member states with Israel
- Call on the Israeli government to stop demolitions in the Masafer Yatta area, as well as military training exercises and other practices aimed at intimidating the residents
- Ensure that humanitarian access to the communities is allowed at all times
- Demand approval of master plans in Masafer Yatta
- Discuss amongst donor states and the EU concrete legal steps available to the EU and/or MS to address
Read the full statement here.
