The European Union has called on Israel to halt demolitions of illegal Palestinian structures in Area C of the West Bank, many of which were sponsored and financed by the European Union.

Area C is under Israeli civil and military control

In a statement, a spokesperson of EEAS, the EU’s external service, said : ‘’The Israeli authorities must halt demolitions of Palestinian houses and property, in accordance with its obligations as an occupying power under international humanitarian law, and to cease the policy of settlement construction and expansion, of designating land for exclusive Israeli use and of denying Palestinian development.’’

The spokesperson regretted the ‘’significant increase of demolitions of Palestinian structures by the Israeli authorities in 2016’’ which it said ‘’appears to be continuing following the end of Ramadan.’’ ‘’Since then, 107 Palestinian structures have been demolished, displacing 136 people, including 60 children.’

The statement mentioned in particular the recent demolition of EU-funded structures in Umm al-Khair, which is located in the Mount Hebron hills.

‘’On 2 August, the EU-funded structures in the community of Um al-Kheir were destroyed by the Israeli authorities, leaving four families homeless. Bedouin communities in the West Bank have faced repeated confiscations and demolitions in recent years, which have put them in grave humanitarian need and risk ending in forced transfers,’’ it said.

The spokesperson said that Israeli demolitions of the illegal structures raise doubts about Israel’s true long-term goals vis-a-vis the Arabs, referring to the recent Quartet report which stated that ‘’such a policy, including the recent high rate of demolitions, is steadily eroding the viability of the two-state solution and raises legitimate questions about Israel’s long-term intentions.’’

The Quartet report, which was released in July and accused Israel of “unilaterally” taking land “for exclusive Israeli use” in Area C of Judea and Samaria, also recognized Israel’s authoritative control over development in Area C.

“The Israeli military retains full authority over development in Area C, including planning and zoning for housing, industrial zones, tourism sites, and essential infrastructure, such as roads and electricity lines,” read the Quartet report.

The Quartet is made of the US, the EU, Russia,China and the UN.

Non-governmental groups such as the Jerusalem Periphery Forum and Regavim have argued that the Palestinian Authority is behind the illegal construction in Area C.

The EU holds that such housing is humanitarian assistance and therefore does not need permits from the IDF, creating persistent friction with Israel.

On Monday, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked (Bayit Yehudi) visited the South Hebron Hills to see unauthorized Palestinian construction for herself.

“I saw on this trip a tremendous amount of illegal Palestinian building in Area C, with the help of foreign funding,” Shaked said.

“We can’t allow for a double standard when it comes to building,” she went on. “It’s not clear to me how those who fight against Jewish building in Judea and Samaria are a leading force in illegal Palestinian building.”

The US State Department Press Office Director Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters in Washington at the daily briefing on Monday that the United Sates was ‘’concerned by the accelerated rate of demolitions undertaken by Israeli authorities that continue in the West Bank as well as east Jerusalem.”

France also joined the US in denouncing the razing of three European Union-funded shelters in the West Bank on Tuesday, which it said constituted “a violation of international law.

Last week, the French foreign ministry condemned Israel over the demolition of several structures, funded by the French government, in a Palestinian village north of Jerusalem.

“France condemns the Israeli army’s destruction of several structures funded by France in the Palestinian village of Nabi Samuel (West Bank) on August 3,” the French government said in a statement.

“This is the third time that buildings funded through French humanitarian aid have been demolished or confiscated by Israeli authorities since the beginning of 2016, and notably follows the dismantling of a school in February.”

Paris also joined the US in denouncing the razing of three European Union-funded shelters in the West Bank on Tuesday, which it said constituted “a violation of international law.

“With several other EU projects destroyed south of Hebron, France expresses its deep concern over the accelerating rate of these demolitions and confiscations of humanitarian structures built for the Palestinian people in Area C,” it said. “We call on the Israeli authorities to end these operations, which are a violation of international law.”

Among the pending demolition cases that has garnered intense media focus and international attention is the fate of Sussiya, which is composed of some 100 tents and modular structures, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Israel’s High Court of Justice is in the midst of hearing an appeals case regarding the question of whether the village’s agricultural lands in the South Hebron Hills region of the West Bank can be used for permanent housing.

It’s the latest chapter in a decades long land dispute between the Sussiya villagers and the Defense Ministry.

Since taking up the post of Defense Minister in June, Avigdor Lieberman has been quiet on his opinion with regard to the case.

Work on the possible resolution of the issue had been put on hold in the last month, as both the Civil Administration and the villagers wait for him to render his opinion.

The High Court of Justice has insisted that he must do so by August 15. The Minister has asked the court for a two-day delay.