Demolitions and confiscations in communities facing expulsion

10 July 2023 al-Baqa'a (al-Quds)

Al-Baq’ah, Ramallah District: Aided by pogroms, another Palestinian community is forcibly transferred

On Monday, 10 July 2023, the Palestinian Bedouin shepherding community of al-Baq’ah, to the east of Ramallah, was forcibly transferred. In the days leading up to Monday, settlers from an outpost next to al-Baq’ah, one of seven established after the pogrom in Turmusaya on 21 June 2023, attacked the community daily. On Friday, 7 July 2023, a tent home in the community was set on fire while no one was in. The community of al-Baq’ah was home to 33 people, including 21 minors. The residents, who disassembled their homes and livestock enclosures yesterday, told B’Tselem field researchers that they feared for their lives and there was no one to protect them. Because of this, and having no other choice, they decided to leave the place they called home for decades. The outpost that settlers established 50 meters away from the community’s homes is a farm with 60 to 70 sheep and two horses. The settlers set up solar panels and connected the outpost to the water infrastructure of the Neve Erez settlement, which was established in 2001, some 100 meters north of al-Baq’ah. They took control of the only road connecting al-Baq’ah to the nearby Alon Route, and have been grazing their sheep in the pasturelands that served the al-Baq’ah community and harassing shepherds from the Mleihat family, who grazed their sheep in the area. On Friday, 7 July 2023, at around 6:30 A.M., a tent home located 100 meters from the outpost, was set on fire. The family living in the tent had been sleeping in another tent belonging to the extended family out of fear that settlers would harass them at night. The family saw the fire from a distance and called the police, but no officers came. Israel has created an impossible reality and untenable life for residents, and Israel bears sole responsible for their expulsion. Read more...

22 June 2023 Kh. al-Malih (Hamamat al-Malih)

Israeli forces demolish two homes under construction in the community of Khirbet al-Maleh designed to house a family and a newlywed couple

On Thursday, 22 June 2023, at around 10:00 A.M., Civil Administration personnel arrived with a military escort and a bulldozer at the community of Khirbet al-Maleh (Hamamat al-Maleh) in the northern Jordan Valley. The forces demolished two houses under construction funded by a humanitarian aid organization. One of the houses was designed to house a family of six, including four minors. The other was meant for a newlywed couple. The demolition was carried out pursuant to Military Order No. 1797.

15 June 2023 Kh. Um al-Jamal

Civil Administration dismantles and confiscates four dwellings under construction in Khirbet Um al-Jamal in the northern Jordan Valley

On Thursday, 15 June 2023, at around 9:00 A.M., Civil Administration and Jordan Valley settlement regional council personnel arrived with a military escort and a bulldozer at the community of Khirbet Um al-Jamal in the northern Jordan Valley. The forces dismantled and confiscated four dwellings donated to the residents by a humanitarian organization, as well as sunshades belonging to four other families.

13 June 2023 'Ein a-Duyuk a-Tahta

Israeli forces crush and confiscate 88 cars and a spare part storage shed in the Palestinian village of ‘Ein ad-Duyuk a-Tahta, Jordan Valley

On Tuesday, 13 June 2023, at around 8:00 A.M. Civil Administration personnel arrived with a military escort, a digger and a bulldozer at a car lot in the village of ‘Ein ad-Duyuk a-Tahta in the Jordan Valley. The forces crushed and confiscated 88 cars, 80 of which had no license plate and eight had Palestinian license plates, as well as a shed used to store spare parts.

6 June 2023 Tublas (Hizma)

Israel demolishes two structures and damages agricultural land in the community of Tublas, north of Jerusalem

On Tuesday, 6 June 2023, at around 5:00 A.M., Civil Administration personnel arrived with a military escort and a bulldozer at the community of Tublas, which lies next to the main road between Hizma and ‘Anata, north of Jerusalem. The forces demolished a farmers’ break room, destroyed a water tank and uprooted 70 fruit tree seedlings, on agricultural land that supports the livelihoods of 18 people. The forces also demolished a caravan the family had used as a diwan (a structure used for entertaining).

6 June 2023 Kh. Tatrit ('Arab al-Freijat)

Israel demolishes two agricultural structures in Khirbet Tatrit, South Hebron Hills

On Tuesday, 6 June 2023, at around 7:00 A.M., Civil Administration personnel arrived with a soldier and Border Police escort and a bulldozer at the community of Kh. Tatrit (‘Arab al-Freijat) in the South Hebron Hills and demolished a tent and a masonry structure used by a young couple for agricultural purposes.

2 June 2023 Kh. Um al-Jamal

Jordan Valley settlement regional council personnel and soldiers confiscate car in Khirbet Um al-Jamal

On Friday, 2 June 2023, at around 11:00 A.M., agents of the Jordan Valley settlement regional council came to the community of Khirbet Um al-Jamal in the northern Jordan valley with a military escort and confiscated a car belonging to a resident of the village of Tayasir, claiming it had been brought into a closed military zone. The council personnel ordered the owner of the car to drive it to the nearby settlement of Maskiyyot and leave it there.

22 May 2023 Ein Samia

‘Ein Samia, Ramallah District: Incessant harassment by settlers and theft of animals, carried out under the protection of the police, forced the community’s residents to abandon their place of residence

On 22 May 2023, the last remaining residents of the community of ‘Ein Samia dismantled their homes and their sheep pens and left what had been their home for decades. For years, the community’s approximately 200 residents had been subjected to extreme restrictions on construction of both homes and infrastructure, which included the demolition of residential and agricultural structures. They also suffered from violence carried out by Israeli security forces and by settlers living in outposts built in the area, who enjoyed full state support. Families began leaving the community because of this harassment in late 2018. Since 2019, Israel has demolished 18 structures in the community, including six homes that housed 41 people, 18 of them minors. The most recent demolition was carried out in January of this year, and a demolition order issued by the Civil Administration for the community’s school has been upheld by the court. Read more...

22 May 2023 a-Zuweidin, Kh. Ma'in

Israeli forces demolish a family tent, a house under construction and a water cistern belonging to Palestinians in South Hebron Hills

On Monday, 22 May 2023, at around 10:00 A.M., Civil Administration personnel arrived at an area south of Khirbet Ma’in in the South Hebron Hills with a military and Border Police escort, a digger and a bulldozer. The forces demolished a tent used as a residence by a family of seven, including five minors, and a residential structure still under construction owned by a different family. That day, at around 1:00 P.M., Civil Administration personnel arrived at an area south of Khirbet a-Zuweidin in the South Hebron Hills with a military and Border Police escort and a digger. The forces demolished an agricultural water cistern.