On Wednesday, Israeli soldiers demolished two Palestinian homes in Beit Jala city and the Al-Walaja village, northwest of Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank.
Issa Qassis, the Mayor of Beit Jala, said several army vehicles, including bulldozers, demolished an under-construction home in the Cremisan area near the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation.
Qassis said the demolished property was a one-story building owned by George Farah Najjar and added that the army claims the building was not licensed by the so-called “Civil Administration Office,” the administrative branch of Israel’s illegal occupation.
Qassis added that George first received an order to halt the construction of his property and headed to Israeli courts before obtaining an order allowing him to continue the construction of his home; however, the army ignored the order and demolished the property.
Furthermore, the soldiers invaded the Ein Jweiza area in Al-Walaja village and demolished a 100-square-meter home owned by Ahmad Khalil Awadallah allegedly for being built without a permit, although the local council licensed it.
Ein Jweiza has been subject to frequent and escalating Israeli violations for several years, including demolishing many homes and buildings and bulldozing and confiscating lands for Israel’s illegal colonialist activities.
While Israel continues to build and expand its illegal colonies, Palestinian communities and towns in occupied Jerusalem and various areas in the occupied West Bank continue to be denied the right to build homes and property under various allegations meant to prevent the expansion of Palestinian towns and neighborhoods.
This happens while Israel continues to build and expand its illegal, segregated colonies in the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem, in direct violation of International Law, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and various United Nations and Security Council resolutions.
Israel’s colonies in the occupied West Bank, including those in and around occupied East Jerusalem, are illegal under International Law, the Fourth Geneva Convention, and various United Nations and Security Council resolutions. They also constitute war crimes under International Law.
Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states: “The Occupying Power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.” It also prohibits the “individual or mass forcible transfers, as well as deportations of protected persons from occupied territory.”
