Israeli army demolishes 4 houses, arrests 15 Palestinians in West Bank

By Awad Rajoub

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – The Israeli army on Monday demolished four Palestinian houses near Jericho city and detained 15 Palestinians from several provinces in the occupied West Bank.

In Dweik al-Tahta village west of Jericho, four houses, including three inhabited and one under construction, were demolished, Adel Abu Nema, a Palestinian journalist, told Anadolu.

He stated that six other houses in Area C have received demolition notices.

The Israeli authorities prohibit construction or land reclamation in Area C, without permits, which are almost impossible to obtain, according to Palestinians and international human rights reports.

Under the 1995 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, was divided into three areas A, B, and C.

While Area A represents 18% of the West Bank and is controlled by the Palestinian Authority in terms of security and administration, Area B represents 21% of the territory and is subject to Palestinian civil administration and Israeli security control.

Area C, which represents 61% of the West Bank, is under Israel’s civil and security control.

In a related development, the Palestinian Prisoners Society said in a statement that the Israeli army "arrested on Monday 15 Palestinians from several provinces in the West Bank."

The NGO stated that the overnight arrests took place in the provinces of Tulakarm, Bethlehem, Hebron and Jerusalem.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat