Israel to make 200 Palestinians homeless in West Bank

Palestinian boys sit near rubble after Israeli authorities demolished their house in the West Bank on 3 June 2020 [AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP/Getty Images]

July 30, 2020

Israeli occupation forces will demolish a Palestinian village based in the north of the occupied West Bank, displacing more than 200 people, Wafa news agency reported.

Mahmoud Amarneh, head of Farasin village council, told Wafa that Israeli soldiers raided the village this morning and issued 36 demolition orders for entire buildings and ancient water wells.

He said the military warned the residents that the demolition will be executed in a few days

The village, home to 200 Palestinians, is located west of Jenin and consists of a 200-year-old well and several ancient buildings. Therefore, Amarneh is urging international intervention to prevent Israel from committing a massacre in the village.

Israel’s widely practiced policies of home demolitions targeting entire families are acts of illegal collective punishment and come in direct violation of International Human Rights Law.

READ: Israel fines Palestinian $30,000 after demolishing his East Jerusalem home

Critics of Israel’s decision have pointed to the minuscule number of building permits issued to Palestinians and claim the demolition paves the way for a new Israeli settlement.

Amarneh reiterated that the Israeli occupation government wants to take over the village in order to expand illegal settlements built in that area.

Most of the international community considers Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be illegal.

Palestinians seek an independent state in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, areas captured by Israel in the 1967 war.