EU urges Israel to stop home demolitions in Palestinian areas

A European Union official on Monday urged Israel to stop demolitions of the Palestinian homes in the "marginalized areas" of the West Bank, reported Xinhua.

The EU concerns itself with the risk of displacing Palestinians and demolishing their buildings and facilities, said Sven Kuhn von Burgsdorff, EU representative in Palestine, in an official press statement.

Burgsdorff made the statement during a joint visit with 20 European diplomats to two "marginalized" villages near the town of Yatta, south of the West Bank city of Hebron, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Burgsdorff and the European diplomats spoke with the Palestinian residents of the two villages, where Israel threatened to demolish their homes and leave them displaced, according to WAFA.

"Displacing Palestinian communities contradicts the international law, and it is an Israeli violation of its obligations as an occupying power under international humanitarian law," Burgsdorff said.

Meanwhile, Nidal Abu Younis, mayor of the two villages, complained to the European delegation about "the Israeli settlers' attacks against marginalized villages in the district of Hebron" that "have never stopped."

"These assaults against schools, mosques, citizens' residences, and their livestock pens are all contrary to international law and are considered crimes against humanity," Younis said.