Human Rights Watch yesterday issued a 135-page report accusing Israel of systematically violating international law by destroying the homes of 16,000 Palestinians in southern Gaza. Over the past four years the group estimates 10 percent of the Palestinians in Rafah have had their homes demolished. Human Rights Watch is calling on the United States and European countries to demand Israel pay reparations for victims or compensation to Palestinians who lost their homes. In addition, the report calls on Caterpillar Inc, the US-based company that supplies Israel with powerful bulldozers to suspend sales of equipment used in illegal demolitions.