OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)
The Israeli forces demolished on Wednesday three Palestinian homes in the village of Al-Walaja, south of Occupied Jerusalem, despite European outcry, warning of the repercussions of Israel’s continued demolition policy against Jerusalemites.
The head of Al-Walaja village council, Hadir Al-Araj, said, an Israeli military force raided the town on Wednesday and began demolishing three houses on the pretext of lacking building permits.
Palestinians and Israeli rights groups accuse Israeli municipal authorities of denying building permits to Palestinians, while allowing the construction of Jewish-only settlements in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.
The Israeli occupation army completely demolished two of the houses, while the third was partially destroyed, he added.
He stressed that the occupation forces have escalated their attacks on the town since they began their war on the Gaza Strip on October 7.
The demolitions came one day after diplomatic missions of numerous EU members in Jerusalem and Ramallah slammed ongoing Israeli demolitions in the West Bank.
According to Al-Araj, Israeli forces have demolished eight Palestinian houses in the West Bank since Israel launched its war on the Gaza Strip on 7 October.
21 European countries warned, in a joint statement on Tuesday, of the repercussions of the continued demolition of Palestinian homes, including in the town of Al-Walaja.
