Israeli occupation forces carried out a large‑scale demolition at dawn in the Wadi al‑Juheir, near the “Container” military roadblock, east of occupied Jerusalem, leveling six commercial structures and a horse stable owned by Palestinian resident Adel al‑Jahalin.
The operation is the latest in an escalating campaign targeting Palestinian communities in the eastern Jerusalem periphery, particularly the Jahalin Bedouin families who have endured decades of pressure and repeated attempts to uproot them from the area.
Witnesses said military units escorted the bulldozers, blocked access roads, and kept residents at a distance while the structures were torn down.
The shops had been a main source of income for the family, and the stable housed horses used for transport and daily work. Residents described the scene as abrupt and overwhelming, leaving the family with no chance to remove equipment or belongings.
Local community members noted that the occupation authorities had refused to issue building permits—an approach long used to justify demolitions in areas Israel seeks to clear for colonial expansion.
Wadi al‑Juheir lies within the zone targeted for the enlargement of the Ma’ale Adumim illegal colony and the E1 project, a plan that would sever East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank and forcibly displace surrounding Palestinian communities.
The Jahalin families, including the al‑Jahalin tribe, have faced repeated demolitions of homes, livestock shelters, and commercial structures.
Human rights groups report a marked increase in demolitions across the Jerusalem area in recent months, with livelihood‑related structures increasingly singled out as a means of pressuring residents to leave.
Residents of Wadi al‑Juheir stressed that the demolished shops and stable were vital to the family’s survival and played a role in supporting the wider community. They described the demolition as part of a broader effort to erase Palestinian presence east of Jerusalem and replace it with expanding colonies and military infrastructure.
The Wall & Colonization Resistance Commission condemned the demolition, saying it reflects a systematic policy aimed at forcibly displacing Palestinian communities and tightening Israeli control over the strategic corridor between Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley.
The Commission emphasized that the destruction of civilian property in occupied territory violates international humanitarian law.
Community elders warned that the continued targeting of the Jahalin families threatens their ability to remain on their land, especially as illegal paramilitary Israeli colonizers intensify attacks and land seizures in the surrounding areas.
Despite repeated appeals, residents say they receive no protection and continue to face pressure from both Israeli soldiers and paramilitary colonizer groups.
At dawn Monday, Israeli forces detonated the home of 23‑year‑old Mahmoud Yousef Aabed in the town of Halhul, north of Hebron in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.
