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United Nations S/2020/1234 Security Council Distr.: General 16 December 2020 Original: English Implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016) Report of the Secretary-General I. Introduction 1. The present report is the sixteenth quarterly report on the implementation of Security Council resolution 2334 (2016). The reporting period is from 21 September to 10 December 2020. II. Settlement activities 2. In resolution 2334 (2016), the Security Council reaffirmed that the establishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, had no legal validity and constituted a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace. In the same resolution, the Council reiterated its demand that Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and that it fully respect all of its legal obligations in that regard. No such steps were taken during the reporting period. 3. On 14 and 15 October, in one of the largest collective advancements in recent years, the Israeli authorities approved construction plans for some 5,000 housing units in Area C, approximately 80 per cent of which are planned in settlements in outlying locations, deep inside the occupied West Bank, in areas further impeding the contiguity of a future Palestinian State. 4. The plans include the retroactive legalization, under Israeli law, of the Tapuach West outpost (133 units) near the Kfar Tapuach settlement south of Nablus, and the Pnei Kedem outpost (120 units) near the Metzad settlement north-east of Hebron; the approval of 629 units in Eli, including the retroactive legalization, under Israeli law, of 61 illegally constructed units; and the approval of 560 units in Har Gilo, which will further sever the territorial contiguity between Bethlehem and the village of al-Walaja to its north-west. 5. On 15 November, the Israeli authorities opened the bidding process for the construction of 1,200 housing units in the Givat Hamatos settlement in East Jerusalem. If completed, this project would further consolidate a ring of settlements along the southern perimeter of Jerusalem, separating East Jerusalem from Bethlehem 20-17248 (E) 211220 *2017248* S/2020/1234 and the southern West Bank, significantly damaging prospects for a future contiguous Palestinian State. 6. On 23 November, the Jerusalem District Planning Committee advanced a plan for the construction of some 540 housing units in the East Jerusalem settlement of Har Homa. 7. On 29 November, the High Court of Justice of Israel upheld the declaration of areas in and around the Palestinian neighbourhood of Kafr Aqab, including the land on which the Kochav Ya’akov settlement is built, as State land. 8. At the beginning of October, an Israeli outpost was reportedly established in the Beit Dajan area, west of Nablus, and another was reportedly erected on a hill 4.5 km east of the Shiloh settlement, where a military base was previously located. 9. During the reporting period, demolitions and seizures of Palestinian-owned structures continued across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. Citing the absence of Israeli-issued building permits, which remain almost impossible for Palestinians to obtain, the Israeli authorities demolished, forced people to demolish or seized 290 structures, resulting in the displacement of 251 people, including 128 children and 63 women, with some 2,500 others also adversely affected. 10. At least 56 of the structures targeted were dismantled and seized without prior notice based on military regulations allowing the summary requisition of “newly installed” structures defined as “movable” or suspected to be used to commit a criminal offence. A total of 38 structures were demolished on the basis of military order No. 1797, which authorizes an expedited process that gives owners only 96 hours to demonstrate that they possess a valid building permit. Another 8 structures were demolished by their respective owners following receipt of demolition orders. A total of 73 structures demolished or seized were donor-funded. 11. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, 52 schools in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, face pending “stop work” or demolition orders, which, if implemented, would affect some 5,200 students. 12. In 2020, demolitions and seizures by the Israeli authorities of Palestinian-owned property in Area C rose by 72 per cent compared with 2019. In East Jerusalem, while an 18 per cent decline in demolitions was observed, there was a 47 per cent increase in the number of structures demolished by their respective owners following receipt of demolition orders compared with 2019. 13. On 28 October, the Israeli authorities cut a donor-funded pipe supplying water to 14 herding communities in the Masafer Yatta area of Hebron, home to about 1,400 people, including over 600 children. 14. On 2 November, the Israeli Government informed the High Court of Justice that it would not demolish the Bedouin village of Khan al-Ahmar in the next four months. In its explanation, the Government cited restrictions related to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and “additional considerations” as the reasons for the delay and said that it would use the additional time to exhaust efforts to reach an agreement with the residents. 15. On 3 November, the Israeli authorities carried out the most extensive demolition in the occupied West Bank of the past decade, destroying over 80 structures, including homes, in the Bedouin community of Humsa Al Bqai’a, in Area C. Seventy-three people were displaced, including 41 children. Decade-long petitions and appeals against the demolitions were rejected by the High Court of Justice. 16. On 23 November, the Jerusalem District Court rejected an appeal by a Palestinian family, ruling that they must vacate their home in Batan al-Hawa, in the 2/12 20-17248 S/2020/1234 neighbourhood of Silwan, in favour of settlers. The 26 family members have lived in the home since before 1967. III. Violence against civilians, including acts of terror 17. In resolution 2334 (2016), the Security Council called for immediate steps to prevent all acts of violence against civilians, including acts of terror, as well as all acts of provocation and destruction, and called for accountability in that regard and for compliance with obligations under international law for the strengthening of ongoing efforts to combat terrorism, including through existing security coordination, and to clearly condemn all acts of terrorism. 18. The reporting period was characterized by daily acts of violence throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces, settler-related violence, stabbing attacks or alleged attempted attacks, the throwing of rocks and Molotov cocktails by Palestinians, the firing of rockets by Palestinian militants from Gaza towards Israel, retaliatory Israeli airstrikes against militant targets in Gaza and the use of lethal force by Israeli security forces against Palestinians. 19. Overall, five Palestinians, including two children, were killed by Israeli security forces during demonstrations, clashes, security operations and other incidents across the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and 428 Palestinians, including 2 women and 41 children, were injured, including 36 by live ammunition. Eleven members of the Israeli security forces and 15 Israeli civilians, including two women, were injured by Palestinians in clashes, rock and Molotov cocktail throwing and other incidents. 20. In Gaza, while a relative calm largely prevailed, Palestinian militants launched eight rockets and seven incendiary balloons from Gaza into Israel. In response, the Israel Defense Forces fired 33 shells and missiles into Gaza, striking Hamas positions, observation posts and other military infrastructure, as well as open areas. No injuries were reported. 21. On 1 October, the Israel Defense Forces arrested two Palestinian men who had crossed into Israel through the Gaza security fence, carrying a home-made bomb. On at least 76 occasions, Israeli security forces opened warning fire towards Gaza in the areas adjacent to the perimeter fence, with no injuries recorded. On 42 occasions, Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians fishing off the coast of Gaza, injuring one. 22. On 20 October, the Israel Defense Forces announced that they had located a Hamas tunnel entering Israeli territory from the southern Gaza Strip. Palestinian militants responded by firing a rocket from Gaza towards Israel, which was intercepted by the Iron Dome system. The Israel Defense Forces responded by striking an underground structure in an agricultural field in Gaza. No injuries were reported. 23. On 15 November, Palestinian militants fired two rockets towards Israel from Gaza. One rocket fell into the sea near the city of Ashdod and the other landed in an open area inside Israel, east of Ashdod. No injuries or damages were reported. In retaliation, the Israel Defense Forces fired three shells and two missiles at Hamas underground infrastructure and military posts in Gaza. No injuries were reported. 24. On 21 November, Palestinian militants fired a rocket towards Israel from Gaza, which landed on an empty factory warehouse in Ashkelon, causing damage. An Israeli woman was injured while seeking shelter. In retaliation, the Israel Defense Forces fired a shell targeting a military observation post in Gaza. A few hours later, on 20-17248 3/12 S/2020/1234 22 November, the Israel Defense Forces fired 16 missiles targeting Hamas military sites. No injuries were reported. 25. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, on 22 September, during a security operation in Hebron, Palestinian Authority police used live fire and physical force against Palestinian civilians, namely one adult and three children, one aged 14 and two aged 16. The three children were seriously injured, two by live ammunition. Despite court orders to release the injured children, the four were detained until 7 October, when they were released without charge.
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