A/HRC/25/38 Affairs of the United Nations, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, 392 Palestinian structures were demolished in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, during the reporting period, displacing 588 people, including 272 children.25 10. The situation in East Jerusalem remains an issue of concern. Between November 2012 and October 2013, 99 Palestinian structures were demolished, displacing 320 people, including 161 children.26 In addition, new housing units in settlements situated in East Jerusalem were approved. For example, in August 2013, the Jerusalem Municipality Local Planning and Construction Committee approved the building of 58 housing units in the Pisgat Ze’ev settlement. The media reported that the Mayor of Jerusalem had voiced his support for a government plan to construct 793 new homes: including 400 in Gilo, 210 in Har Homa and 183 in Pisgat Ze’ev.27 In November 2013, demolition orders for 10 apartment buildings in the Ras Khamis neighbourhood were issued. If implemented, they would result in the displacement of some 1,500 Palestinians.28 Residents of Silwan have affirmed that they also received several demolition orders around the end of October.29 IV. Israeli planning policy in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and its impact on the human rights of Palestinians Nature of planning policy, law30 and practice 11. The establishment and expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is associated with a complex system of policies that negatively affect the human rights of Palestinians.31 The planning policy which regulates the construction of housing and structures in the West Bank,32 including East Jerusalem, is extremely problematic.33 The Secretary-General34 and the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination35 have previously noted the discriminatory nature of Israeli planning policy. For instance, in East Jerusalem, Israeli authorities have planned and zoned only 13 per cent of the city, most of which is already built up, for Palestinian construction. In addition, 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 6 Information provided by OCHA. Ibid. See www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/Jerusalem-Municipality-approves-construction-inPisgat-Zeev-328324. Information provided by OCHA. See www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.556071 and www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=643164. For the purpose of this report the term “law” includes regulation through military orders. A/66/364, para. 8. The planning regime in the West Bank is governed by a system of laws which were in force before 1967, when Israel occupied the West Bank. This system comprises three layers: the Ottoman, the British Mandate and the Jordanian Law. Israel has amended the system mainly through military orders. See www.yesh-din.org/postview.asp?postid=254. Planning and development in East Jerusalem is governed by Israeli national planning institutions. See “Planning to fail: the planning regime in Area C of the West Bank: an international law perspective”, Diakonia International Humanitarian Law Resource Centre Legal Report, September 2013, available from: www.diakonia.se/documents/public/ihl/publications/Planning-to-fail-reportsept2013.pdf. See A/66/364. In 2012, the Committee expressed concern regarding the discriminatory planning policy of Israel and urged it to reconsider it entirely in order to guarantee Palestinian and Bedouin rights to property, access to land, access to housing and access to natural resources (CERD/C/ISR/CO/14-16, para. 25).