Bethlehem: Israeli forces demolished a Palestinian house in the village of Al-Walaja, west of Bethlehem. Khader Al-Araj, head of the Al-Walaja village council, told WAFA correspondent that Israeli forces, accompanied by military vehicles, stormed the village and concentrated in the Ain Juwaiza area before demolishing a house belonging to the Abu Rizq family.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA, the home, which measured approximately 80 square meters, sheltered a family of several members. Al-Araj affirmed that the demolition was carried out under the pretext of lacking a building permit, despite the family having applied for permits years ago. However, Israeli authorities continually delay such applications as part of a systematic policy targeting the residents of Al-Walaja to seize their land and force them to leave.
Ain Juwaiza area has been subjected for years to an escalating colonial campaign, which has included the demolition of dozens of homes and the issuance of stop-work orders, as part of the occupation’s efforts to expand the boundaries of the Jerusalem municipality at the expense of the village’s residents.
From October 7, 2023, to October 5, 2025, Israeli authorities carried out a total of 1,014 demolitions in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, affecting 3,679 structures. These included 1,288 inhabited homes, 244 uninhabited homes, and 962 agricultural and other structures. During the same period, Israeli authorities also issued 1,667 demolition orders against Palestinian structures.