Israeli Army Bulldozes Palestinian Homes

Israeli military bulldozers have razed to ground more Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank village of Al-Aqaba.

The destruction of two Palestinian houses and three cattle shelters in the village on Thursday clearly illustrates the political agenda driving Israel’s relentless demolition policy.

Sami Sadeq, head of the village council, explained to a Press TV correspondent on Thursday that 95% of Al-Aqaba’s families have received demolition warnings from the Israeli civil administration.

Israel considers the area a military closed zone where no construction is allowed by Palestinians, who are the real land-owners.

Three stray bullets penetrated Sadeq’s back and paralyzed him forty years ago during Israeli military drills in the area.

Sadeq told Press TV that in 1999, Israeli army came and destroyed electricity, telephone and water infrastructures in the village. Later in 2003, they came back and demolished two houses.

Figures from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees recorded 76 demolitions of Palestinian buildings in March alone, forcibly displacing 158 Palestinians, including 64 children.

It is an ethnic cleansing policy to evacuate the area and make it pure for settlements and colonization, said Jamal Joum’ah of the Stop the Wall Campaign.

On the same day, Israeli troops stormed the village of Awarta near the West Bank city of Nablus and abducted over 100 Palestinian women. Israeli officials said the arrests are part of the ongoing investigation into the murder of five settlers in March.

Palestinians have been urging the international community to stop the demolitions and illegal settlement building in the region.

The ongoing Israeli military activities in the West Bank are perceived by the Palestinians as a clear reminder of the need to resist against the occupation and draw strength from the current Arab uprisings.

(Press TV)

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