Israeli authorities demolished over 6,000 Palestinian structures in the West Bank and East Jerusalem between 2010 and 2019, during the tenure of the governments headed by Benjamin Netanyahu. More than 9,000 Palestinians were displaced as a result.

Partial demolition by Israel authorities of the Jaradat family house, al-Tur, occupied East Jerusalem, April 24, 2013 (Photo: Activestills)

The figures, collected by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – Occupied Palestinian Territory, show the scale of Israel’s demolition regime beyond the Green Line. The vast majority of the destruction (79%) took place in Area C of the West Bank, over which the Israeli army has full control. Roughly 2% of demolitions took place in Areas A and B of the West Bank, which are putatively under full and partial Palestinian Authority control, respectively.

Around 19% of demolitions took place in occupied East Jerusalem. Although Israel annexed the area in 1981 — technically making it Israeli territory — it is often subjected to similar policies as the West Bank because most of its inhabitants are not Israeli citizens.

The number of demolitions in East Jerusalem has increased throughout the decade. While from 2010-2015 annual totals ranged between approximately 40 and 100 demolitions, 2016 witnessed the destruction of 190 structures — consistent with an overall spike across the occupied territories. In 2019 the number of demolitions culminated in a decade high of 201.