On Monday alone, Israeli soldiers demolished more than four Palestinian homes, in addition to a water reservoir, under the allegations of being built without permits from the Israeli occupation authorities, the same authorities who continue to deny the Palestinians the right to build on their own land to accommodate for their expanding families, while continuing to construct and expand illegal colonies, installed in direct violation of International Law.
Several army jeeps and bulldozers invaded the Farasin village, west of Jenin in northern West Bank, and demolished a home and a water reservoir used by the Palestinians.
The head of al-Farasin Village Council, Mahmoud Amarna, stated that the soldiers demolished a 250 cubic/meter water reservoir providing the needed water supplies to the villagers.
He added that the soldiers also demolished a 70 square/meter home, owned by Fayez Amarna, rendering five family members, including children, homeless.
It is worth mentioning that, ten days ago, the soldiers invaded the village and handed military orders for the demolition of 36 homes, structures, and water wells, and informed the villagers that their structures will be leveled within a few days.
Around 200 Palestinians live in the al-Farasin, which was officially designated and recognized by the Palestinian Ministerial Council as a village several months ago, however, the Israeli occupation authorities decided to demolish it.
Also on Monday, the soldiers and personnel of the City Council in the occupied Palestinian capital, Jerusalem, demolished a home, owned by Ibrahim Abu Seeb’a, in the southern part of the city, rendering him and family, homeless.
The soldiers also demolished another home, owned by Khaled Abu Ta’a, in Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, in Jerusalem, displacing him and his family.
Abu Ta’a told the Wadi Hilweh Information Center in Silwan (Silwanic) that he has six family members, and he recently modified a home for his older son, who is getting married soon. (See link to Silwanic Video)
“Two months after modifying the property, the City Council came and ordered the demolition of the property,” he stated, “I tried all legal venues for more than 18 months, and I tried to obtain a construction permit twice but was denied. In the end, I decided to self-demolish my property to avoid the high fines and fees they impose on the Palestinians if the occupation authorities carry the demolition out.”
“I was only given one month to demolish the property, and other Palestinians here helped me carry the demolition out,” he added, “In the year 1948 when Israel was established in the historic land of Palestine, we were forced out of Lifta village, and we could never return. All these lands, including ours, were part of Lifta village. And now Israel is claiming all these lands have been confiscated.”
“We are surrounded from every direction and are constantly targeted,” Abu Ta’a added, “I have been living here since the year 1961, and in the year 1965 Israel started building colonies, a police station, and parking facility on more than half of my privately-owned lands. There is nothing I can do, even the remaining 85 square/meter of my land, they want it, and they now demolished the home.”
In addition, the soldiers forced another Palestinian family, in the southern part of occupied Jerusalem, to demolish their home, rendering them, including the children, homeless.
The home is owned by Ibrahim Abu Seeb’a, and is built on his land. His children had to watch the destruction of their home, their place of safety while sobbing and crying so that Israel can build its illegal colonies, and other colonialist facilities.
Earlier Monday, the soldiers invaded Khirbit Beit Iskariya village, isolated by the illegal Gush Etzion colonialist bloc, south of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, and demolished a Palestinian home.
Meanwhile in Hebron, in southern West Bank, and amidst the continued destruction of Palestinian homes and property, Israel soldiers installed a new fortified observation room In Tal Abu Jundiyya area, east of Yatta town.
The room, which contains fortified glass overlooks the Palestinian homes in the area, and the illegal Havat Ma’on colony, which was built on private Palestinian lands.
