Israel demolishes Al-Araqeeb for 132nd time, arrests residents

Israeli forces demolished the village of Al-Araqeeb in the Negev Desert, south of Israel, for the 132nd time this morning.

The head of the Popular Committee for the Defence of Al-Araqeeb, Yousef Abu Zayed, told the Anadolu Agency that Israeli police forces stormed the village this morning and proceeded to demolish all Palestinian houses there.

He added that the Israeli police arrested four of the village’s residents in conjunction with the demolition, and took them in for interrogation at a detention centre in Beersheba.

He explained that this is the 132nd time the village has been demolished with the last demolition taking place in July.

Read: Israel demolishes Palestinian village Al-Araqeeb for 121st time

Located in the Negev desert, Al-Araqeeb is one of 51 Arab villages in the area that the Israeli occupation authorities do not recognise and which has been targeted for demolition ahead of building homes for new Jewish communities.

Israel has imposed fines on the villagers of Al-Araqeeb worth millions of dollars, Quds Press said, and charges them for the use of the Israeli bulldozers which carry out the demolition of their homes.

Israel demolishes Al-Araqeeb Village – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]