Israel razes two Palestinian homes in West Bank

Tuesday, 23 February 2016 3:42 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 23 February 2016 7:14 PM ]

Palestinians warm themselves by a fire as they sit in front of the rubbles of Palestinian Raed Khalil Masalmeh's home after it was demolished by the Israeli military in the West Bank town of Dura, February 23, 2016. © Reuters

Israeli troops have destroyed the homes belonging to two Palestinians accused of committing deadly anti-Israeli attacks in the occupied territories.

The Israeli military said in a statement released on Tuesday that its forces demolished the homes of Raed Khalil Masalmeh in the town of Dura and Mahmoud Harub in village of Dir Smat, both situated near the city of al-Khalil (Hebron).

The Israeli army accused the Palestinian citizens of killing five Israelis in two separate attacks in November last year.

Earlier this week, the Haaretz daily also reported that Tel Aviv has increased by more than five times the rate at which it tears down Palestinian dwellings in the occupied West Bank’s biggest administrative division.

Tel Aviv is now demolishing 49 Palestinian residences in so-called Area C every week, compared to nine recorded in 2015, the report said.

Rights groups say the demolition of Palestinian homes are in line with Israel’s policy of expansion of its illegal settlements and land theft.

More than half a million Israelis live in over 230 illegal settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and East al-Quds. The United Nations and most countries regard the Israeli settlements as unlawful.

Palestinian victims’ funeral

Also on Tuesday, Palestinians in the occupied West Bank held funerals for three young men who were shot dead by Israeli soldiers.

The first ceremony was held in the town of Beit Fajjar, south of Bethlehem, for 21-year-old Khaled Yousif Taqatqa who was killed on Friday.

The second also funeral took place in the town of al-Qubeiba, near al-Quds, where people buried Mansour Shawamra and Omar Mohammed who were gunned down by the Israeli troops outside the walls of al-Quds’ Old City on February 14.

Mourners carry the body of Palestinian Mansour Shawamra during his funeral in the West Bank village of al-Qubeiba, northwest of al-Quds (Jerusalem), February 23, 2016. ©AFP

Since the start of October 2015, more than 180 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in what is regarded as the third Palestinian Intifada (uprising).

Tensions heightened in the Palestinian territories in August 2015, when Israel imposed restrictions on the entry of Palestinian worshipers into the al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East al-Quds

The Palestinians say the Tel Aviv regime seeks to change the status quo of the holy Muslim site.

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