Israel demolishes 9 Palestinian homes in West Bank

By Qais Abu Samra

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Israeli forces on Monday demolished nine Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank, according to witnesses.

Israeli bulldozers razed eight houses under construction in the town of Al-Daouk near Jericho and a house in the town of Farasin near Jenin, the witnesses said.

Israeli forces cited lack of building permits for the demolitions.

Last year, Israel issued demolition orders for 18 Palestinian homes in Farasin, home to nearly 200 Palestinians.

The Israeli demolitions drew immediate condemnation from the Palestinian Foreign Ministry as “an attempt to control these lands and impose Israeli sovereignty over them."

“Israel continues to implement its settlement scheme in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which threatens the option of a two-state solution," the ministry said in a statement.

Under the 1995 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was divided into three portions -- Area A, B, and C.

Israel prevents Palestinians from carrying out construction projects in parts of the West Bank designated as Area C, which falls under Israel’s administrative and security control.

Area C is currently home to 300,000 Palestinians, the vast majority of whom are Bedouins and herding communities who predominantly live in tents, caravans, and caves.

*Ikram Imane Kouachi contributed to this report