RAMALLAH-The Israeli army on Thursday tore down two Palestinian-owned homes in the north of the occupied West Bank, citing the lack of building permits.
Israeli soldiers and bulldozers entered the village of Duma and demolished two houses, claiming they had been made without proper permits, Murad Shteiwi, an activist and member of the Popular Resistance Committee in the northern West Bank, told Anadolu. Palestinians in Duma clashed with Israeli soldiers, who fired tear gas and rubber-coated bullets at the protesters, he said. Shteiwi said Israeli authorities have sent demolition notices to dozens of homes in Duma.
The village is located in Area C, which accounts for 60% of the occupied West Bank’s total area. Under the 1995 Oslo Accords, the West Bank was divided into three areas: A, B, and C.
Israel blocks Palestinians from building in Area C, which it seeks to annex. It frequently destroys Palestinian homes on the pretext of lack of construction permits, especially in Area C.
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Israeli army arrests 20 Palestinians in West Bank The Israeli army on Thursday arrested 20 Palestinians, including 15 from the Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate.
The occupation forces have arrested at least 20 Palestinians since Thursday morning, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Club said in a statement.
The club reported that “the arrests are spread over most of the governorates.”
Among the detainees are 15 citizens from the Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate, including 10 from the village of Al-Mughayyir, east of Ramallah, it said.
There was no comment from Israeli authorities on the arrest.
The Israeli army carries out frequent arrest campaigns across the West Bank – including occupied East Jerusalem – on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians.