UN: 45 Palestinian-Owned Structures Demolished in West Bank in One Week (May 5–11, 2026)

The UN reported that Israeli authorities demolished 45 Palestinian-owned structures in the West Bank between May 5 and 11, 2026 — 90% of which were used for agricultural, livelihood, water, or sanitation purposes. The demolitions, carried out primarily under 'administrative orders' citing building without permits in Area C (the roughly 60% of the West Bank under full Israeli military and civil control), left Palestinians without critical infrastructure in farming and water access. This week's total is part of a broader pattern: the UN OHCHR's March 2026 report documented that at least 36,000 Palestinians were forcibly displaced in the West Bank in the preceding 12 months, with 59 communities fully depopulated under the combined pressure of settler violence and Israeli demolition orders. UN Deputy Special Coordinator briefed the Security Council on the West Bank situation, urging consolidation of the Gaza ceasefire and an immediate halt to the escalating demolition campaign. The World Court (ICJ) has previously ruled that Israeli settlement activity and the occupation of Palestinian territory violates international law in its 2024 advisory opinion.