Israel Demolishes Three Palestinian Homes Near Bethlehem
LONDON-Israeli authorities demolished three Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, targeting properties in the towns of Nahalin and Al-Minya southeast of Bethlehem, according to Palestinian media reports, as Israel continued demolitions it said were linked to unauthorized construction.
Two of the demolished properties were two-story residential buildings in the town of Nahalin belonging to the Najajreh and Awad families. The homeowners had vacated the buildings about a week earlier in anticipation of the demolitions after receiving notices from Israeli authorities, the Palestinian Wafa news agency reported.
Israeli authorities said the structures had been built without the required permits. Palestinians have long argued that obtaining Israeli-issued building permits in much of the occupied West Bank is extremely difficult, while Israel maintains that construction must comply with its planning regulations.
According to the report, another 14 homes in Nahalin are scheduled for demolition. Around 91% of the town falls within areas under full Israeli civil and security control under arrangements established by the Oslo peace accords of the 1990s, where Israel exercises authority over planning and construction.
Israeli forces also demolished a single-story, 150-square-meter house belonging to the Kawazbeh family in the village of Al-Minya while security personnel were deployed in the area.
Monitoring organizations said Israeli authorities demolished 88 homes, 63 agricultural structures and 11 commercial premises across the occupied West Bank during July. Most of the demolitions occurred in the governorates of Qalqiliya, Hebron, Ramallah, Al-Bireh and Bethlehem.
Israel has carried out demolitions in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and, previously, the Gaza Strip since it captured those territories in the 1967 Middle East war. Israeli authorities generally cite the absence of building permits as the legal basis for such actions.
Palestinians and rights organizations argue that the permit system makes legal construction difficult for Palestinian residents and contend that demolitions contribute to restrictions on Palestinian urban development while Israeli settlements and military infrastructure continue to expand in parts of the occupied territory.
The issue of home demolitions remains one of the most contentious aspects of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has drawn repeated international scrutiny as tensions persist across the occupied West Bank.
