WEST BANK, (PIC)
Almost every day, Israeli bulldozers sink their claws into homes or facilities in the West Bank as part of a systematic policy aimed at forced displacement and ethnic cleansing. This occurs alongside rising settlement activity and Israel’s efforts to annex the West Bank and impose its sovereignty, all amidst international silence that amounts to complicity.
In recent days, there has been an unprecedented escalation in demolition crimes, with Israeli occupation forces destroying hundreds of homes and facilities, displacing thousands of Palestinians, including women and children, leaving them homeless in catastrophic humanitarian conditions. Demolition operations have focused on Al-Khalil, Jericho, and Jerusalem, as well as northern West Bank areas, which have been under large-scale military assault by Israeli forces for weeks, resulting in the destruction of hundreds of homes and the displacement of around 40,000 citizens.
Field testimonies
On February 10, Israeli occupation forces carried out large-scale demolitions in three villages in the Masafer Yatta area south of Al-Khalil, destroying nine homes, water tank caves, solar panels, and agricultural projects in the Jinba, Maghayir al-Abeed, and Khillet al-Dab’a communities. According to a statement from the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, these attacks displaced nine families, totaling 57 individuals, including 35 children and 9 women. One of the affected citizens, Abdul Rahman Abu Hamid, recounted, “Israeli soldiers came at dawn and didn’t even allow us to take our belongings. They destroyed everything before our eyes and left our children in the open. Where should we go? This is our land, and we will not leave it.”
On February 8, Israeli occupation authorities forced citizens in the villages of Um Tuba and Jabal al-Mukabber in Jerusalem to demolish their own homes, citing the lack of permits for construction. This led to the displacement of two families, comprising 11 members, including two women and seven children. Hassan al-Jabari, whose home was demolished in Jerusalem, said, “I built my house with the sweat of my brow, and I knew they would come to demolish it at any moment, but we have no choice. Either we demolish it ourselves, or we pay tens of thousands of shekels in demolition costs. In either case, we lose.”
Shocking statistics: A systematic escalation of demolitions, displacement
On February 4, Israeli forces demolished six tin houses in Aqbat Jabr refugee camp south of Jericho, displacing 14 Palestinians. They also destroyed a house under construction, a scrap collection facility, and damaged the electricity network in the western part of Idhna town west of Al-Khalil. According to the Palestinian Human Rights Center, Israeli forces have demolished 188 facilities since the beginning of this year, including 113 homes—17 of which their owners were forced to demolish them by themselves in Jerusalem, and 30 homes demolished under the pretext of lack of permits. The demolitions also targeted homes of four prisoners in Tulkarem, as part of a policy of collective punishment, as well as 75 other commercial facilities.
In addition to demolitions, Israeli occupation forces have destroyed hundreds of homes either completely or partially during their extensive military campaigns in Jenin, Tulkarem, and Tubas, which have continued for weeks, resulting in the displacement of thousands of citizens.
Settlements escalate amid international silence
While Palestinian homes are being demolished, Israeli occupation authorities continue to build thousands of new settlement units and seize Palestinian land for settlers, as part of a policy aimed at establishing a new demographic reality, paving the way for the gradual annexation of the West Bank. Human rights activist Mahmoud Abu Rahma asserts that what is happening is part of a calculated plan to control Palestinian land, adding: “The occupation is not just demolishing homes; it is replacing the indigenous population with settlers. For every Palestinian home destroyed, a new settlement unit is built. This is a documented war crime, and the international community is complicit by its silence.”
War crimes
The Palestinian Center for Human Rights confirms that the demolition and forced displacement operations carried out by Israeli occupation forces constitute war crimes under the Fourth Geneva Convention, which prohibits collective punishment and the unlawful destruction of property belonging to people under occupation. Moreover, the rapid expansion of settlements is a blatant violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2334, which affirms the illegitimacy of settlements and calls for an immediate halt to their construction.
While Israel persists in its expansionist policies, Palestinians remain steadfast in their land despite all the crimes and violations. Despite attempts at displacement and uprooting, Palestinians insist that these policies will not deter them from staying and resisting. With the escalation of demolitions and settlements continuing, the most pressing question remains: When will the international community take action to hold Israel accountable and stop these crimes against the Palestinian people?
