Israeli occupation forces uprooted hundreds of olive trees on Tuesday, and issued stop‑construction notices to 20 Palestinian homes in the town of Tuqu’, southeast of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank.
Mohammad al‑Badan, head of the Tuqu’ Municipality, said a large Israeli military force accompanied by heavy machinery invaded the town’s western entrance and began uprooting olive trees along a stretch of approximately 1,500 meters, digging to a depth of nearly eight meters, under the pretext of “security considerations.”
He added that Israeli forces also invaded the al‑Halqoum neighborhood west of the town and delivered 20 stop‑construction notices to residents, even though the homes have stood for years and are currently inhabited.
Al‑Badan noted that the notices form part of a broader policy aimed at restricting Palestinian residents and preventing future expansion, effectively pushing homeowners into lengthy and costly legal battles before Israeli courts.
He explained that nearly 70% of Tuqu’s land lies within Area C, where Israel maintains full control.
Israeli authorities, he said, continue to tighten restrictions on the town by closing roads with iron gates, seizing privately owned land, and blocking urban development, even though the targeted areas belong to Palestinian families.
Also on Tuesday, Israeli occupation forces demolished four Palestinian homes in the town of Barta’a, northwest of Jenin in the occupied West Bank’s northern part, the Barta’a Municipality has confirmed.
