On Wednesday, Israeli soldiers demolished a Palestinian home, and injured several Palestinians, in the Al-Walaja village, west of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank.
Khader Al-A’raj, the Mayor of Al-Walaja, said a large military force, including a bulldozer, invaded the Ein Jweiza area in Al-Walaja, and demolished a 110 square-meter home owned by Ghadeer Al-Atrash, on her land.
Al-A’raj added that the soldiers closed and isolated the village and isolated the Jweiza area before demolishing the property.
The invasion and the demolition led to protests before the soldiers fired gas bombs and concussion grenades, causing many Palestinians to suffer the effects of tear gas inhalation.
On February 1, the soldiers demolished two Palestinian homes in Beit Jala city and the Al-Walaja village.
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.”
