Israeli army demolishes Palestinian home near Bethlehem

The Israeli army demolished a Palestinian-owned home in the town of Al-Khader, near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank on Monday, claiming it had been built without a permit, Anadolu reports.

The single-story, approximately 100-square-meter home belonged to Palestinian Muhammad Ali Salim Musa.

According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, Israeli forces raided and surrounded the Umm Rukbe area south of Al-Khader before carrying out the demolition.

WAFA said the Umm Rukbe area has long been subjected to Israeli measures, including demolitions, construction-stop orders and demolition notices.

READ: Protest in West Bank over illegal settler outpost as Israeli forces intervene and detain protesters

Palestinian officials say such practices are aimed at increasing pressure on residents, forcing them off their land and paving the way for Israeli settlement activity.

The measures are part of a longstanding Israeli policy targeting Palestinian construction in large parts of the occupied West Bank, particularly in Area C, through demolitions and construction restrictions under the pretext of lacking permits.

Under the 1995 Oslo II Accord, Area A falls under full Palestinian administration, while Area B is under Palestinian civil control and Israeli security control.

Area C remains under full Israeli control and constitutes around 61% of the occupied West Bank.

The Israeli escalation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since October 2023 has resulted in the killing of 1,169 Palestinians and injury to 12,666, in addition to the arrest of 23,000 people and the displacement of 33,000, according to Palestinian figures.

READ: Israeli occupiers attack Palestinian towns, homes in West Bank under army protection