The Israeli government demolishes homes, uproots crops, and confiscates land.

The Israeli government demolishes homes, uproots crops, and confiscates land.

Since September 2000, 4,170 Palestinian homes were demolished or blown up by Israeli Defense Forces. 291 acres of land were confiscated. 34,606 olive & fruit trees were uprooted. In East Jerusalem, Palestinian homes are demolished and land confiscated in order to ensure Jews have a majority in the city (the “Silent Transfer”). According to Amnesty International, Israel" frequently uses demolitions of homes as a form of collective punishment.

Peter Hansen, Commissioner General of UNRWA, condemned Israel's demolitions: "Any humanitarian looking at the sheer number of innocent civilians who have lost their homes can only condemn Israel's house demolition policy as a hugely disproportionate military response by an occupation army... It is a policy that creates only hardship and bitterness, and in the end can only undermine hope for future reconciliation and peace."

Rabbis for Human Rights and the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions have campagined to prevent home demolitions, and have worked alongside Palestinians and internationals to rebuild their homes. They have also helped replant orchards destroyed by the IDF. These actions foster dialogues between Israelis and Palestinians and plant seeds of peace.