Israel hardens resolve to raze Palestinian homes in West Bank

Israel has demolished 20 Palestinian homes in the West Bank since the beginning of August, amidst a crackdown on Palestinian communities in "Area C," human rights organization said on Friday.

Area C makes up 60 percent of the West Bank. It has been under complete Israeli military control since the mid-1990s.

Over the past week and a half, Israel's Civil Administration demolished 20 homes and 13 other structures, leaving 53 people, including 25 minors, homeless, Israeli human rights group B'Tselem said in a statement.

At least five of the demolished structures, located mainly in the Jordan Valley and the South Hebron Hills, were donated by international humanitarian aid organizations.

Israel has been stepping up home demolitions in the West Bank since the beginning of 2016, citing "lack of building permits."

According to B'Tselem, in 2016, at least 188 Palestinian homes were demolished, the highest number ever. A recent report by the organization showed that Israeli authorities had razed more Palestinian houses in the first half of 2016 than they have throughout the entire previous year.

On Thursday, France condemned the demolition of humanitarian structures in the West Bank, which were aimed at helping Palestinians affected by earlier demolitions.

"France expresses its serious concern over the accelerating pace of demolitions and confiscations of humanitarian shelters for the Palestinian population in Area C," the country's foreign ministry said.

Paris also called on Israeli authorities "to stop these operations which are contrary to international law."

On Tuesday, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said during a press briefing her country was "concerned" by Israel's "provocative" razing of additional three E.U.-funded structures in the West Bank earlier that day.

The increased demolitions "raise serious questions" about Israel's commitment to peace, she said.

Israel occupied the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, home to more than 5 million Palestinians, in the 1967 Mideast War. It has controlled it ever since, despite international condemnations. Endit