Land Confiscation Introduction 121 Demolition Without giving any kind of notice, the Israeli authorities closed the entire area and they gave 15 minutes to the family to pack up their stuff. Furthermore, the affected person must pay the Israeli administration for the home demolition costs. In addition to the house, they will also demolish anything else they find on that land without any considerations. Building permit It’s almost impossible to get a home building permit. From 1967 until now, the Jerusalem Municipality provided the whole Silwan village area just 62 building permits only for those houses that do not exceed 150 meters square and a school. We would need hundreds of permits for building housing units each year to cover the needs of the residents and the young people and couples. Because of this situation, we are always under threat of losing our houses. When a house is demolished it does not only mean razing a wall, but it means destroying a family, a home and the future. Gaza Strip Raquel Rolnik, United Nations General Assembly 24 December 2012 “An almost complete physical and political isolation, combined with successive military operations, has deeply affected the housing situation in Gaza. While Israel withdrew its settlers and military from inside the Gaza Strip in 2005, it remains in control of the borders, including the entry and exit of people and goods, as well as the air space and access to the sea. Housing conditions have been significantly affected by military operations. During the Israeli offensive codenamed Cast Lead alone, more than 20,000 homes were destroyed or severely damaged. It is estimated that approximately 71,000 new housing units are required to cover current housing needs.”426 426 Rolnik, Report of the Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing as a Component of the Right to an Adequate Standard of Living, and on the Right to Non-discrimination in This Context, para. 88.