Anadolu: Ramallah - Awad al-Rajoub

These developments come at a time of escalating tension in the West Bank, with continued Israeli settlement activities and military operations.

The Israeli army on Tuesday evening demolished residential and agricultural structures and sealed off a village with earth mounds, while continuing its incursions and bulldozing of property in several areas of the West Bank, according to Palestinian government media and an NGO.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa said an Israeli force stormed the village of Amatin east of Qalqilya in the northern West Bank and demolished residential and agricultural structures.

It quoted the head of the village council, Fathi Ghanem, as saying that the demolition targeted structures built on an area of about 20 dunams (a dunam equals 1,000 square meters) used by 22 families, estimating the initial value of losses at hundreds of thousands of shekels (one dollar is about 3 shekels).

He added that the demolished structures, the number of which he did not specify, had been built over 25 years ago, including homes, sheep pens, and agricultural warehouses for storing feed and equipment, all made of iron frames and zinc sheets.

The local official explained that the targeted area is located within land classified as 'Area C,' under Israeli civil and security control, adjacent to the settlements of Emmanuel and Gilad.

He explained that the demolished structures belong to the al-Jahalin, Hammadin, and Saray'i families, and that the affected families are now homeless and without a livelihood, having depended on sheep herding and farming for their living.

The Oslo II Accords, signed in 1995 between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel, classified West Bank land into three areas: 'A' under Palestinian control, 'B' under Israeli security control and Palestinian civil and administrative control, and 'C,' which makes up about 60 percent of the West Bank, where Palestinians are prohibited from making any changes to the land.

In the northern West Bank, the agency reported that the Israeli army closed secondary dirt roads and an internal street in the village of Marda north of Salfit.

It added that a military bulldozer closed those roads with earth mounds, stones, and rocks.

In Nablus governorate, Voice of Palestine Radio (government-run) said an Israeli force stormed the eastern area of Nablus city, in addition to the town of Beit Furik, while settlers cut power poles in the Al-Dhahra area on the outskirts of Beita town south of the city, reporting 'violent confrontations as youths resisted the settlers' attack.'

In the central West Bank, Wafa reported that the Israeli army forced a resident of the Jalazoun camp north of Ramallah to demolish his own sweets shop without providing further details.

Also north of Ramallah, the official agency reported that the Israeli army closed the Ein Siniya military checkpoint, prevented movement of citizens in both directions, searched vehicles, and checked passengers' IDs.

It noted that the Israeli army stormed the village of Deir Jarir, coinciding with the presence of a number of settlers who assaulted Palestinian citizens, while another group of settlers attacked shepherds in the Al-Tel area in the town of Sinjil northeast of Ramallah, beating them.

For its part, the rights organization Al-Bayder said in a statement that Israeli settlers carried out bulldozing of Palestinian lands near the Ma'azi Jaba' community east of Jerusalem.

It added that the bulldozing suggests an expansion of settlement activity and the imposition of new facts on the ground, threatening Bedouin communities and their livelihoods.

In the southern West Bank, Wafa reported that the Israeli army arrested a citizen after storming the Wadi al-Jawaya area in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron.

It added that 'occupation forces stormed the area to protect settlers and arrested citizen Ahmad Hammad al-Nawaj'a after storming his home, while settlers stole a horse belonging to the family.'

The West Bank has seen an escalation in attacks by the Israeli army and settlers since October 2023, which, according to official Palestinian figures, has resulted in the killing of 1,181 Palestinians and the wounding of about 13,000, in addition to the arrest of nearly 24,000 Palestinians.

Area 'C' makes up about 60 percent of the West Bank and is under full Israeli control, hindering Palestinian development there. The demolition of structures and bulldozing of land are among the most prominent manifestations of Israeli policy there, amid international criticism of these practices as illegal under international humanitarian law.