US President Joe Biden has been urged to put Israel’s illegal settlement programme and displacement of Palestinians at the top of his agenda as he visits the region later this week. 

The Norwegian Refugee Council said today that the visit is a unique opportunity for him to demand an end to the expansion of construction projects and home demolitions. 

Israeli authorities have approved plans for 4,427 housing units in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank in the first six months of the year, an increase from the 3,645 units approved for all of last year.

“This visit presents a good opportunity for President Biden and the US to demand a stop to the systemic and daily violations against Palestinians, especially evictions and demolitions that continue to destroy homes and lives,” NRC spokesman Carsten Hansen said. 

For each day that Mr Biden has been in office Israel has displaced an average of three Palestinians. 

This is a total of 1,657 people displaced as a result of the demolishing of 1,269 structures in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, according to the United Nations.  

“Behind these numbers are real stories of human displacement, of families being evicted with nowhere to go, of children looking on as bulldozers ram through the only home they have ever known. 

“As one of the world’s most powerful allies of Israel, the US and President Biden must prioritise the plight of the Palestinians during his visit to the region,” Mr Hansen said.