Israel demolishes 8 Palestinian structures in West Bank, Jerusalem

Israeli occupation forces demolished eight Palestinian structures in occupied Jerusalem, the Jordan Valley, Nablus and Bethlehem yesterday.

The demolitions in the Jordan Valley included two homes and a barn used for livestock breeding. According to the head of the Al-Jiftlik Village Council, Ahmed Ghawanmeh, they were demolished under the pretext of unlicensed construction in an area under complete Israeli control.

Ghawanmeh told Quds Press that the demolition of Palestinian properties which took place in Al-Jiftlik yesterday is part of Israel’s targeting of the area, noting “the occupation hinders the procedure to obtain construction permits for Palestinians. It charges extortionate amounts of money, making it impossible for Palestinians to complete the procedures.”

Ghawanmeh also said that the occupation sometimes demolishes establishments without prior notice and randomly targets homes.

In Nablus, local sources reported that the occupation forces demolished a home in the Furush Beit Dajan area on the outskirts of the city, claiming it was built without a permit.

The occupation forces also issued demolition notices on Tuesday for Palestinian residential tents erected near the Separation Wall, on the outskirts of Deir Ballut. The demolitions are scheduled to take place within a week. A Palestinian family has resided in the tents for 11 years.

Read: Israel forces Palestinian to demolish his home in Jerusalem

In occupied Jerusalem, the occupation forces demolished several homes in Al-Isawiya, Shuafat, and Beit Hanina areas early yesterday morning.

Sources reported that municipal machines, accompanied by Israeli forces, raided Al-Isawiya early yesterday morning and demolished the home of Shareef Muhaisin, followed by the home of Jamal Abu Khdeir in Shuafat, and Essam Al-Rajabi, who has been living in his 140 square metre home in Beit Hanina for ten years.

Samir Al-Sa’aou told Quds Press that the occupation municipality had notified Al-Rajabi that it would be demolishing one of the two flats forming his home, which is 40 square metres, but “he was surprised on the day of the demolition that the occupation demolished his entire home (140 metres) where he, his wife and eight children lived.”

#LandGrab

Battir Village Council head, Akram Badr, told Quds Press that the occupation bulldozers demolished two homes still under construction in the village, one owned by Nidal Abdullah, whose home has previously been demolished. He noted that the occupation claimed the two homes were unlicensed, despite being far from any settlements or bypass roads.