http://indymedia.org.il
UNRWA: 12,000 Palestinians Made Homeless by Israeli Demolition Spree%PM %09 %b %2003
author: From UNRWA release
summary
The "silent" transfer goes on
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said Wednesday that the total number of Palestinians made homeless by Israelis military demolition campaign climbed above 12,000 this month following a rapid acceleration of the Israeli demolition policy in Gaza during the first quarter of this year.
Since the beginning of the Intifada in September 2000 until April 30 2003, a total of 12,737 people had seen their homes demolished in Gaza and the West Bank.
According to UNRWA, recent months have seen a sharp increase in house demolitions in the Gaza Strip.
Until the end of 2002, total and partial demolitions had averaged fewer than 30 per month.
In the first three months of 2003, 221 homes were demolished or damaged beyond repair -- making an average of 74 per month. These alone housed 401 families or about 2,273 persons.
UNRWA has so far been able to complete only 158 new shelters for homeless families and is working on 160 more.
A further 471 houses, including those destroyed during Israeli occupation army's massive invasion of Jenin in April 2002, are at the planning and design stage.