The beginning of May 2004 saw one of the most intense periods of destruction by the Israeli Military in the Gaza Strip for some time. The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) destroyed nearly 200 homes leaving 3000 people, many of whom were women and children, homeless. This briefing will consider the systematic and long running destruction of homes and land of the Palestinian people living in the Occupied Territories and Israel in contravention of international law. It will then go on to consider the broader issue of Israeli accountability for the numerous violations of international human rights and humanitarian law it has committed against the Palestinian people.