Jerusalem:The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates has condemned the Israeli occupation authorities for demolishing the Palestinian Bedouin community of Bir al-Maskub. This community is located within the area targeted by the E1 colonial settlement plan east of occupied Jerusalem.
According to Palestine news & Information Agency – WAFA – English, the ministry stated that Israeli forces demolished approximately half of the community's structures, including four residential clusters, resulting in the displacement of residents. Additionally, demolition notices were distributed for all remaining structures, putting the entire community at further risk.
The ministry warned that the actions in Bir al-Maskub indicate a shift from planning to actual implementation of the E1 plan on occupied Palestinian land, including Jerusalem. The move is seen as a potential precursor to expanded demolition operations against other Palestinian Bedouin communities in the region.
Moreover, the ministry accused Israel's caretaker government of accelerating the E1 plan's implementation during the country's transitional period to establish illegal facts on the ground. This, they argue, aims to fragment the occupied West Bank, isolate occupied Jerusalem from its Palestinian context, and hinder the creation of a contiguous Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.
The ministry emphasized that such measures violate international law and relevant resolutions, contradicting international opposition to settlement expansion and annexation. These actions are said to undermine the two-state solution and disrupt peace efforts in the region.
In response, the ministry urged the international community and the US administration to fulfill their responsibilities by taking immediate action to halt the demolitions and prevent further targeting of Palestinian Bedouin communities in the E1 area.