UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
East JerusalemEast Jerusalem
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Key Humanitarian Concerns in EJ
Barrier related: • Access to services• Communities & land “dislocated” by
Barrier In addition:• Evictions, Demolitions• Residency rights• Poor living conditions
Displacement
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Construction of Barrier in the West Bank and East Jerusalem
Started in June 2002 after an escalation of suicide bombings- issue is the route
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
The Barrier 2002-
2009
WEST BANK
Constructed58% (413 km)
Under Construction10% (73 km)
Planned32% (223 km)
Green Line
Total Length: 709 kmWithin the West Bank 85%
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
19872005
Jerusalem – Access & Closure BARRIER
ConstructedUnder constructionPlanned
ROADS Israeli use primarily
E1 project
Planned with land seized
Planned
PLANNED ROADS
Checkpoints Palestinian permits holders
Palestinian traffic only:
Palestinian built-up areaSettlement
Underpasses
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Impact of the Barrier: ‘Dislocated’ communities & isolated land
• West Bank Palestinian communities on ‘Jerusalem’ side of Barrier
• East Jerusalem communities on ‘West Bank’ side of the Barrier
• West Bank communities severed from their previously close ties to Jerusalem
• West Bank land isolated on ‘Jerusalem side’ of Barrier
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Restricted Access
Al-Ram/East Jerusalem – Formerly bustling commercial area
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Access to Health
• All JLM ID holders / WBGS residents
• Permits & access for WB patients, staff & ambulances to EJ hospitals
• Problems of access for JLM residents who live outside Barrier
• Access problems within EJ due to ambulance escorts (ICRC/PRCS/MADA agreement)
• Access to WB/JLM hospitals for dislocated communities
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Access to Education
• Permits & access for WB teachers/students to Jerusalem
• Classroom shortage in Municipal system/ Demolition/sealing of Al Waqf schools
• Estimated 5-10,000 pupils not enrolled/ high dropout rate
• Access to WB/JLM schools for dislocated communities
Access to Education
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
The Planning Crisis in East Jerusalem
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
Zoning of East Jerusalem
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Shrinking Space for Palestinians in E. Jerusalem
• Restrictive zoning• Restrictive planning• Restrictive permit regime
-125 in 2008
• Shortfall of 1,100 HU/year
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Building Conditions in East Jerusalem
Palestinian construction severely limited: • Reduced space for development of communities• No construction in “green” or unplanned areas• Detailed plan necessary for permit• Public infrastructure required• Plot ratio limits in planned areas• High fees to obtain a permit• Reduced space for development of communities
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Areas at Risk of Large-scale Demolition
• Wadi ad Dem, Beit Hanina• Tel al Foul, Beit Hanina• Khalet el ‘Ein, At Tur• Al Abbasiya, Ath Thuri• Wadi Yasul, Jabal al Mukabbir • Bustan, Silwan
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
45
8
0
0
5
10 0
7
7
1
8
0
0
4
7
#
0
00
10
7
Demolition site and no. of people displaced between 1 January and 23 April
Threatened Houses
Tel Al Foul75 threatened houses, 1000+ inhabitantsSheikh JarrahEviction orders: 28 houses, 500+ inhabitantsAl Bustan90 threatened houses, 1000 inhabitantsWadi Yasul50 threatened houses, 400 inhabitantsAl ‘Abbasiya34 threatened apartments, 242 inhabitants
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
East Jerusalem,
Silwan-Al Bustan
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
House Demolitions in East Jerusalem
• 755 demolitions between 2003 and 2009
• < 100 demolitions a year (av.)
• < 1,500 pending demolition orders
• < 60,000 people vulnerable; living under risk of house demolition
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
East Jerusalem,
Sheikh Jarrah
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Evictions from Sheikh Jarrah• Over 50 Palestinian
residents already forcibly evicted: estimated 500 at risk of displacement
• Organized settler attempts to take over Palestinian land in contravention of international law
• Plans to build over 540 residential units and public/commercial buildings
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Residency rights
• Revocation of social benefits & Jerusalem ID cards
• Family reunification
• Registration of children
• Municipal boundary vs. Barrier boundary
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Displacement
• Restrictive zoning & planning & administrative obstacles ‘illegal’ construction/demolitions
• Systematic settler ‘legal’, physical & other pressure forced evictions
• Other “push” factors, including lack of access to services…etc.
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Displacement in 2009
Adults Children Total
East Jerusalem 151 149 300
*Eviction from Sheikh Jarrah 53
Area C 152 167 319
Total: 303 316 673
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Impact of Displacement on Families
• 67% below poverty line • High fees for legal aid and fines• Fines collected > 25 million NIS per year• Loss of biggest investment: their home• Forced to rent housing • Children impacted most
– Psychological distress, gaps in education• 71% move more than twice after
demolition
UNITED NATIONS
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
occupied Palestinian territory
HUMANITARIAN OVERVIEW February 2010
Conclusions• Proper planning to
address Palestinian housing crisis.
• Freeze all demolitions. • Support for local
planning initiatives and legal aid
• Barrier on 1967 Green lineBethlehem Barrier Crossing 2008
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