News / Palestine

Israel demolishes 11 Palestinian structures in West Bank, makes 87 homeless

Monday, 02 January 2017 4:17 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 02 January 2017 5:31 PM ]

In this file photo, an Israeli bulldozer demolishes a Palestinian house in the predominantly Arab neighborhood of Jabel Mukaber in southern East Jerusalem al-Quds. (Photo by Reuters)

Israeli forces have demolished eleven more Palestinian structures in the occupied West Bank as the Tel Aviv regime goes ahead with its land expropriation and illegal settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Dawood al-Jahalin, a spokesperson for the Abu Nuwwar Bedouin community, said Israeli bulldozers escorted by military forces demolished the residential structures in the village of Khan al-Ahmar on Monday morning.

He added that the dwellers were not allowed to evacuate personal belongings and furniture.

Jahalin noted that Israeli forces imposed a siege on the area during the demolitions, which left 87 Palestinians, most of them women and children, without a roof over their head.

Israeli forces had razed eight Palestinian homes in the same West Bank village in October 2016.

Israeli human rights group B'Tselem said at the time that the demolitions had affected more than two dozen Palestinians, leaving 28 people, including 18 minors, homeless.

A recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) showed that Israeli authorities have demolished or seized 1,089 Palestinian-owned structures since the start of last year up until December 28. The demolitions have left some 1,593 Palestinians homeless and affected the lives of another 7,101, according to the report released on December 29, 2016.

The UN body further announced that the “vast majority” of Palestinian structures were destroyed or seized because the Israeli policies made it virtually impossible for the Palestinians to obtain building permits.

Israel's demolitions of Palestinian homes and structures have raised alarm among diplomats and human rights groups over what they regard as the Tel Aviv regime’s continued violation of international law.

Israel’s demolition of Palestinian homes and its continued expansion of illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories have dimmed hopes of any peace in the region.

More than 600,000 Israelis live in illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.

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