Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

No problem.

The issue is the Israeli Government decision to illegally demolish 42 homes and businesses in the Bedouin community of Khan al-Ahmar, which is between Jericho and Jerusalem. Last year, 2016, was a record year for the demolition and confiscation of Palestinian dwellings and livelihood structures in the Occupied West Bank by the Israeli army. Figures from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and EAPPI, the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel, show that 1,089 structures were demolished or confiscated in 2016, leaving some 1,600 Palestinians displaced and affecting the livelihoods of a further 7,100 people. This was the highest annual figure since formal recording began and represented a 96% increase on the 2015 total. The figures for 2017 so far indicate we are heading to have another record year for demolitions.

On Sunday it was widely reported in the Israeli press that 42 homes and businesses were served with demolition orders by the Israeli army. These demolitions, once carried out, would in effect destroy the entire village. Such a widespread issuance of demolitions orders at one time in one village is not only unprecedented but a clear declaration by the Israeli military that it plans to remove the entire community. That is what this whole community is facing. While it is correct to say that many of the structures have been built in violation of the planning laws of the Israeli military, this ignores the fact that these planning laws are unfair, unjust and apartheid-Iike in their makeup. They are also superseded by international law, which bans such actions. Under Article 46, the destruction of such property is in grave contravention of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

This is an unprecedented issuing of demolition orders in this village and it is a very rare occurrence for the Israeli military to issue so many demolition orders at once. If these demolitions take place they will leave hundreds of men, women and children homeless. Such actions would also constitute a grave breach of the of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits the destruction of personal property by an occupying power unless it is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations. It also prohibits all forcible transfers of civilian populations by an occupying power. What they are doing here is wrong under international law.

Israel has avoided large-scale evacuation of Palestinians in Area C in the past, partly because of the protests by European and American diplomats. I am asking the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to make urgent representation to the Israeli Government to reverse these demolition orders.

See this speech in context