22/05/2026
DEMOLITION UPDATES: In the past week alone Israeli forces forcibly displaced 24 Palestinians, tearing down residential tents, destroying their contents including food supplies and confiscating plastic sheets sheltering the animals
On 18 May 2026. a Palestinian family was forced to self-demolish their home in Ras Al Amud, East Jerusalem, citing the lack of an Israeli-issued building permit. As a result, a family of five were forcibly displaced. According to the affected, the house received a demolition order in 2023; they appointed a lawyer to follow up on the case but were rejected, and received a final demolition order demanding the family self-demolishes or otherwise will be fined the costs of demolition.
On 19 May 2026, the Israeli Civil Administration accompanied by Israeli forces demolished five livelihood structures and two houses in Area C of Al Khalayleh community, located on the East Jerusalem side of the Separation Wall in Jerusalem, citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits. The demolition affected four Palestinian households comprising 22 people, including nine children, and resulted in the destruction of their main sources of livelihood. The demolished structures included a car wash facility, a vehicle maintenance garage, two workers’ living spaces, a stone-cutting workshop, and an asphalt parking area used for livelihood purposes. In addition, Israeli forces demolished two apartments that were used as secondary residences. According to the affected families, all of the targeted structures had received stop-work orders several years ago and were undergoing legal follow-up procedures. The families reported that the demolition was carried out without the exhaustion of all legal remedies and without the issuance of final demolition orders or prior notice.
On 20 May 2026, Israeli Civil Administration accompanied by Israeli forces demolished 16 structures, including 11 donor-funded structures, in Area C of Ein al Hilwa community in Tubas, citing a lack of Israeli-issued building permits. As a result, four Palestinian households comprising 19 people, including nine children were forcibly displaced. The demolished structures included four inhabited houses: three tents constructed with metal poles and arches and covered with plastic sheets, and one structure built with cement-block walls and roofed with metal sheets. In addition, the demolition targeted one kitchenette made of wooden and metal poles covered with plastic sheets, three animal shelters constructed with metal poles and arches and covered with plastic sheets, four mobile latrines, and four solar panels. According to the affected families, the demolition completely destroyed the contents of the residential structures, with the families losing most of their personal belongings and basic household supplies, including food supplies, furniture, and clothing, leaving them in a highly vulnerable situation. The displaced families stated that they had previously received demolition orders and had appointed a lawyer to pursue the case in the Israeli courts.
