Israel destroys 3 homes, public park amid mass demolition campaign
BETHLEHEM—Israeli forces on Tuesday demolished three Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank village of al-Walaja and a children’s park near Nablus amid a mass escalation in demolitions across the occupied area this year. A PA official who monitors settlement activity in the northern West Bank, Ghassan Daghlas, told Ma‘an that Israeli bulldozers razed a children’s park in Zaatara south of Nablus. The Israeli authorities gave no prior notice before demolishing the park, which was built last year with around $60,000 donated by Belgium via the Municipal Developing and Lending Fund, Daghlas said.
Locals told Ma‘an that bulldozers escorted by Israeli military forces also raided the Ein al-Jweizeh area in northern al-Walaja near Bethlehem, demolishing three homes that were still under construction.
The homeowners—al-Walaja residents Maher Abu Khyara, Issa Qintar and Obeida al-Muhtasib—were reportedly told that the demolitions were carried out due to lack of proper building permits. Locals said Israeli military forces had raided the village several days prior to take photos of a number of homes and deliver demolition orders to their owners.
