BETHLEHEM: Israeli occupation forces demolished a house in al-Walaja village, northwest of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, displacing a family of five. The demolition, carried out on Wednesday, marks the second time this particular home has been targeted, according to local officials.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA, Khader al-‘Araj, the head of al-Walaja Village Council, reported that Israeli forces escorted a bulldozer into the village. The 60-square-meter home, owned by Nisreen Khaled Abu Rizeq, was demolished, leaving the family without shelter. The house had previously been demolished on July 15, 2024, highlighting ongoing tensions and disputes over land in the region.
The demolition is part of a broader trend that has seen an increase in the destruction of Palestinian property since the escalation of Israeli military actions in Gaza in October 2023. These actions have been particularly concentrated in Area C of the West Bank, which constitutes 60 percent of the area’s land and is under full Israeli control.
Statistics from the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission reveal that in November 2024 alone, Israeli authorities carried out 52 demolitions affecting 63 Palestinian-owned structures. This includes 27 residential homes and 17 agricultural buildings, exacerbating the humanitarian situation for many Palestinian families.
In a related incident, Israeli forces also demolished an agricultural shed in the village of Budrus, located northwest of Ramallah. These demolitions are part of a larger pattern of actions that have drawn international condemnation and highlighted the ongoing conflict over land and resources in the region.