<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Witnesses: Israel demolishes tents in West Bank&nbsp;village]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<div>
<div class="ViewDetails_Stamp">Published today  (updated) 20/02/2011 15:18</div>
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<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=361576"><img src='https://occupiedpalestine.files.wordpress.com/2011/02/42747.jpg' alt='' /></a></p>
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<div>NABLUS (Ma&#8217;an)  &#8212; Israeli forces bulldozed dozens of tents on Sunday, donated by the  Palestinian Authority to the residents of Tana, a village east of the  West Bank city of Nablus, locals said.</div>
<p>Atif Hanini &#8212; mayor of nearby town Beit Furik &#8212; said six Israeli army jeeps accompanied bulldozers to demolish the tents.</p>
<p>Hanini  said residents were left homeless in harsh weather conditions, and  appealed to international organizations to intervene in Israel&#8217;s  treatment of Palestinians.</p>
<p>The spokesman for Israel&#8217;s Civil Administration could not be reached for comment.</p>
<p>The demolitions were the fourth in just over a year. On February 9, 52 residents were <a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=359892" target="blank">displaced</a> when Israeli authorities destroyed six residential structures and 21 animal pens in the community, according to a UN report.</p>
<p>Most of the tents had been provided by the Red Cross.</p>
<p>Following  that demolition, a statement from the UN Office for the Coordination of  Humanitarian Affairs said humanitarian organizations were &#8220;currently  working on assessing basic needs and providing an emergency response.&#8221;</p>
<p>Khirbet  Tana falls in Area C, which covers 60 percent of the West Bank and is  under full Israeli military and civil control. Residents must apply to  Israeli authorities for permission to build on their land, but say  permits are routinely refused.</p>
<p>According to the UN, in practice Israel&#8217;s Civil Administration allows Palestinians to build in less than one percent of Area C.</p>
<p>Israeli  authorities frequently destroy Palestinian structures without permits.  Residents say the demolitions are an attempt to force villagers from  their land in order to confiscate it for illegal settlements.</p>
<p>Meanwhile,  Israel&#8217;s Civil Administration &#8220;has established preferential practices  for Israeli settlements and settlement outposts, approving detailed  plans for almost all Israeli settlements located in the West Bank,&#8221;  according to a UN report.</p>
<p>&#8220;Additionally, while settlement  outposts – many of which are built on privately owned Palestinian land –  have no approved plans, and, thus, no building permits, they rarely  face the demolition of their structures,&#8221; the report adds.</p>
<p>Despite the repeated demolitions in Khirbet Tana, residents continue to rebuild.</p>
<p>According  to OCHA, villagers need grazing land for their livestock and &#8220;most have  no choice but to stay in the area, in order to sustain their  livelihood.</p>
<p>&#8220;As such, the community has repeatedly re-built modest structures on the land, including residential tents and animal shelters.&#8221;</p>
<p>However, the repeated waves of demolitions &#8220;make it extremely difficult for Khirbet Tana residents to live in stability, sustain<br />
their livelihood, or, given the repeated demolition of the village school, educate their children,&#8221; the UN office says.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=361576">Maan News Agency: Witnesses: Israel demolishes tents in West Bank village</a>.</p>
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