Israel destroys Palestinian villages, leaving residents without shelter in snowstorm

This is the ninth straight night that Harb Abu-Elkbash, a 48-year-old Palestinian Bedouin, will spend under the open sky in freezing temperatures, Anadolu Agency reports.

The Israeli army stormed his village of Homsa al-Baqia, located east of the city of Tubas in the Jordan Valley, 38 miles (61 kilometres) north of Jerusalem, and uprooted his tent and sheepfold.

As a snowstorm descended on Palestine last Wednesday, Israeli soldiers prevented the village’s residents from taking refuge in tents.

Since the first time on November 3 last year, Israeli bulldozers have repeatedly razed this village.

The remnants of tents, sheds, portable toilets, and solar panels belonging to the 11 families who call Homsa home can be seen strewn across the farmland.

As villagers like Harb try to rebuild the shelters for themselves and their livestock, the army returns to demolish them again, forcing the hapless community to spend nights roofless.

READ: Israel demolishes Palestinian village for 183rd time