- Tens of thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank have been displaced after Israeli forces went further into three Palestinian refugee camps.
- The largest Israeli demolitions of houses in the West Bank since 1967 is underway.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank have been displaced after the Israeli military carried out their largest demolition of houses in the West Bank since 1967.
The refugee camps being emptied are Jenin, Tulkarem and Nur Shams– three refugee camps formed to house refugees forcibly removed from their homes after the Nakba.
Israeli soldiers went into the refugee camps given residents just hours to leave their homes with soldiers shooting anyone who tries to return.
According to figures from local Palestinian authorities and demolition orders by Israeli forces, Al Jazeera reports that about 690 houses have been completely demolished in the Jenin area alone, with another 340 in the process. In Tulkarem, 285 have been fully destroyed and 400 more targeted. In Nur Shams, about 225 homes have been completely levelled.
A resident of Nur Shams, Ibraheem Khalifa, whose apartment building was demolished, said to Amnesty International:
“We arrived … to witness the demolitions of our neighbours’ homes and to be present with them [in solidarity]. However, while sitting there, we realized that the [military] bulldozer started to demolish our homes as well.”
“These are apartments we built with our own hands. There, we grew up and made memories. In this house, we got married, held celebrations, went through sorrows—everything. This house witnessed it all. Now, our homes and all of our belongings in them are gone.”
Israeli forces have also destroyed vital infrastructure including roads, water, electricity and communications networks.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is currently in the United States with negotiations between US and Israeli officials ongoing.
Before an official meeting, American media asked President Trump if he agreed with the idea of a Palestinian state. He declined to answer and instead relayed the question to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who then claimed that a Palestinian state would destroy Israel.
US reluctance to recognise Palestine and back statehood under a Trump presidency has emboldened Netanyahu’s government and likely encouraged the most recent expansion.
