A/HRC/43/67 “widespread discrimination”, creating “severe living conditions” where it is “practically impossible […] to remain”. 37 39. In previous reports and the first part of the present report, the severe impact of continued settlement expansion on the living conditions of Palestinians has been described, with the creation of a coercive environment that forces Palestinians in several areas of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, to leave (see A/HRC/34/39). Concern over cases where Palestinians appear to have been forcibly transferred has also been raised by the SecretaryGeneral and the High Commissioner in previous reports (A/67/372, para. 39, A/HRC/25/40 and Corr.1, paras. 18-20, A/69/347, para. 26 and A/71/355, paras. 61–64). 40. The impact of a coercive environment on individuals and communities is specific to their own circumstances and experience (A/HRC/34/39, para. 42). In the sections below, the High Commissioner highlight how different Israeli policies and measures adopted in East Jerusalem, the H2 area of Hebron and Area C of the West Bank have continued to drive Palestinians out of their homes and communities, in parallel with settlement expansion. 1. East Jerusalem 41. The Israeli zoning and planning policy in East Jerusalem is inherently discriminatory and constitutes a key factor of a coercive environment (A/HRC/40/42, para. 20), forcing Palestinians to leave communities they have lived in for generations (A/HRC/25/40, paras.18-20; A/HRC/37/43, paras. 34–35; A/73/410, para. 20). 42. Israeli authorities have zoned only 15 per cent of the area illegally annexed in 1967 for the housing needs of Palestinians, 38 compared to 38 per cent allocated to settlement construction. 39 Data provided by the Jerusalem Municipality show that while Palestinian residents account for 38 per cent of the overall population of Jerusalem, between 1991 and 2018 only 16.5 per cent of building permits were issued for construction in Palestinian neighbourhoods, mainly for small-scale private projects. By contrast, 37.8 per cent of permits were issued for settlement construction in East Jerusalem. Discriminatory planning, coupled with costly and complicated procedures, make it almost impossible for Palestinian residents to obtain building permits. As a result, at least one third of all Palestinian homes in Jerusalem were built without an Israeli-issued permit.40 43. According to the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, increased settlement expansion (A/HRC/34/39, para. 25; A/HRC/37/43, para. 5; A/74/357, para. 5) was mirrored by a sharp rise in demolitions in East Jerusalem (A/72/564, para. 23). The record number of demolitions witnessed in 2019 (see para. 30 above) - the largest number in the past 15 years41 – led to the displacement of 330 Palestinians, including 88 girls and 84 boys. The number of self-demolitions to avoid heavy fines by the Jerusalem Municipality continued to rise (59 during the period under review, as against 31 during the previous period).42 44. Demolitions conducted in the context of the discriminatory planning system are unlawful and amount to forced evictions (A/HRC/42/40, para. 20; A/72/564, paras. 26 and 49). They may also result in violations of the rights to an adequate standard of living, to adequate housing and to education. Women and children suffer disproportionately from the practice of demolitions and other forced evictions, which can also make them vulnerable to acts of violence and sexual abuse when they are rendered homeless. 43 In one case monitored 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 Prosecutor v. Krajišnik, Case No. IT-00-39-T, International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Trial Chamber, 2006, para. 729–730. Aviv Tatarsky and Architect Efrat Cohen-Bar, Deliberately Planned: A Policy to Thwart Planning tin the Palestinian Neighborhoods of Jerusalem, Ir Amim and Bimkom, February 2017. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the occupied Palestinian territory, Occupied Palestinian Territory: Humanitarian Facts and Figures, 2017 (available from www.ochaopt.org/sites/default/files/factsheet_booklet_final_21_12_2017.pdf), p. 14. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the occupied Palestinian territory, Humanitarian Bulletin, occupied Palestinian territory, May 2019. www.btselem.org/planning_and_building/east_jerusalem_statistics. See also A/74/357, para. 31. Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, general comment No. 7 (1997) on forced evictions, para. 10. 9