Are Israel's house demolitions legal under international law?

Under the Fourth Geneva Convention Occupying Powers are prohibited from destroying property or employing collective punishment.
Article 53 reads: "Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons is prohibited." Under this provision the practice of demolishing Palestinian houses is banned, as is the wholesale destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure.
Therefore the house demolitions are illegal!

status: ok | record: 144 | version: 2 | author: | language: en | chars: 482 | last updated:2010-10-25 08:35:13

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East-Jerusalem settlements international law house demolitions violation of basic rights