The intensity of demolition operations carried out by Israeli occupation forces in various parts of the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem has escalated since Monday morning. Official sources reported an increase in the number of demolished structures to nine homes and two commercial establishments, concentrated in the governorates of Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Jenin, as part of a systematic policy of constriction against the Palestinian presence.
In occupied Jerusalem, occupation bulldozers demolished a home in the Al-Bustan neighborhood of Silwan town, south of Al-Aqsa Mosque, belonging to citizen Mahmoud Mohammed Attia Qwaider. The occupation authorities, as usual, cited building without a permit as the reason for the operation, amidst fears of continued targeting of the neighborhood, which faces extensive displacement plans.
In another tragic scene, the occupation authorities forced the Rimawi family in Jabal Al-Mukaber town to self-demolish three of their homes to avoid paying exorbitant demolition costs. Local sources explained that these homes housed about ten individuals and ranged in size from 50 to 70 square meters, leaving the family homeless in the open.
Demolition operations did not stop there but extended to include Beit Hanina Al-Tahta town, north of Jerusalem, where forces demolished a home and a sheep pen. These measures are part of a broader plan aimed at changing the demographic reality in the holy city and isolating its Arab neighborhoods from each other.
In Jenin governorate, occupation bulldozers began demolishing a massive residential and commercial building in Arraba town, southwest of the city. The targeted building consists of commercial shops and three residential floors, where all legal avenues pursued by its owners failed to stop the unjust demolition decision.
Field sources reported that the occupation army had notified the owners of the Arraba building of the demolition several months ago, and despite judicial follow-up, Israeli courts rejected the appeals. This measure reflects the futility of legal avenues under the military establishment's control over planning and construction decisions in classified areas.
In Ni'lin town, west of Ramallah, occupation forces demolished a single-story home measuring 200 square meters, leading to the displacement of a family of five. The forces forcibly evacuated the residents before beginning the demolition process, amidst reports of other notifications targeting additional homes in the same area.
Data from the Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission indicate that demolition operations in the West Bank exceeded 740 operations during the first half of this year alone. These figures are a dangerous indicator of the accelerating pace of settlement and attempts to resolve the conflict by destroying Palestinian infrastructure and homes.
In parallel with the demolitions, the occupation army carried out a wide arrest campaign targeting about 20 Palestinian citizens from various governorates of the West Bank in recent hours. The arrests included a Palestinian woman, and the raids were mainly concentrated in Tulkarm governorate, which is experiencing continuous tension.
In Nablus governorate, occupation forces arrested eight Palestinians after storming several neighborhoods and camps, including Balata camp and the Tel area. This coincided with a strict closure of the military checkpoints surrounding the city, which hindered the movement of citizens and caused severe traffic jams at the main entrances.
Despite opening some checkpoints for those leaving Nablus, the occupation army kept the city's entrances closed to those returning, in a clear policy of collective punishment. The incursions also included the towns of Deir Sharaf and Al-Lubban Al-Sharqiya, where homes were searched and their contents tampered with before the forces withdrew.
In Qalqilya governorate, arrests targeted four Palestinians from the towns of Kafr Qaddum and Deir Al-Hatab, after raiding their homes in the early morning hours. These arrests come in the context of the occupation's attempts to suppress the escalating popular resistance in those areas that reject settlement and the wall.
In the southern West Bank, the raids were concentrated in Bethlehem governorate and Tuqu' town, in addition to several areas in Hebron governorate. The military operations included the towns of Beit Ummar and Dura and Al-Arroub camp, where a number of young men were arrested and taken to the occupation army's interrogation centers.
Palestinian bodies confirm that these measures, including demolitions, land confiscation, and settlement expansion, are primarily aimed at forcing Palestinians into forced displacement. The occupation authorities are working to transform Palestinian villages and cities into isolated cantons by establishing settlement outposts, camps, and bulldozing agricultural lands.
Demolition operations have become a hallmark of the scene in the occupied West Bank, and these are measures aimed at expanding settlements and tightening the siege on Palestinians.
שתף את דעתך
Israeli escalation in the West Bank: Demolition of homes, displacement of dozens of families, and a wide arrest campaign