Jerusalem: Israeli occupation forces are escalating their violations in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, conducting widespread raids, issuing stop-work orders, forcing Palestinians to demolish their own homes, seizing land, and carrying out arrest campaigns.
According to Jordan News Agency, in the town of Al Khader, south of occupied Bethlehem, Israeli occupation forces issued stop-work orders for several Palestinian homes and structures after raiding the town and opening fire. Mahmoud Abdullah Issa, a member of the Al Khader Municipal Council, reported these developments.
In occupied Jerusalem, Israeli authorities forced a Palestinian resident to demolish his own home in the town of Umm Tuba under the threat of demolition by the Israeli municipality and a fine of up to USD26,45. The house was home to a family of seven, who now find themselves homeless. This demolition was carried out under the self-demolition policy imposed by the Israeli authorities on Palestinian residents of Jerusalem.
Separately, Israeli occupation forces launched raids across several areas of the occupied West Bank and occupied Jerusalem, triggering clashes that left several Palestinians injured and others suffering from tear gas inhalation. The Palestinian Prisoners Club noted that Israeli forces arrested 14 Palestinians after raiding their homes and subjecting them to field interrogations before transferring them to Israeli interrogation centres.
In another development, crews from the Israeli municipality entered the Al Bustan neighbourhood in Silwan, south of Al Aqsa Mosque, and posted a temporary land seizure order covering approximately 4.7 dunams belonging to the Al Taweel family. This measure is a preliminary step toward converting the land into a public space as part of the planned "King's Garden" project, which Israeli authorities claim is based on biblical heritage sites.
The Wadi Hilweh Information Centre stated that the Al Bustan neighbourhood has faced years of demolition and displacement campaigns targeting Palestinian residents, amid the continued refusal by Israeli authorities to issue building permits for local residents.