Israel begins demolishing 25 residential buildings in West Bank camp

Israeli bulldozers began demolishing 25 buildings housing Palestinians in a refugee camp on Wednesday, in what Palestinians have decried as further evidence of the forced removal of the population.

The buildings, home to some 100 families, are in the Nur Shams camp and are a frequent site for Israeli incursions and raids. Rights groups around the world have slammed the raids and attacks on families as a form of collective punishment and a violation of international laws. 

Israeli military bulldozers and cranes tore through the structures early Wednesday, sending thick plumes of dust into the air, an AFP journalist reported. Many residents were forced to solemnly watch from a distance.

Rights group Adalah, which campaigns on behalf of Palestinians, noted that many of the residents are vulnerable, with some being elderly, disabled or parents of young children.

The Israeli military claims the demolitions are part of an operation against alleged militants; however, Palestinians state this is an excuse used to justify the move and force residents out. The Israeli military did not provide evidence of the civilian homes being used by militants.

Adalah warned that the demolition order will result in the forced displacement of Palestinians, noting that residents have also been informed by the military that they will not be able to rebuild homes in demolished areas, effectively banning them from ever returning to their homes.

Dr. Suhad Bishara, Adalah’s attorney, noted that this most recent demolition order, combined with previous ones, equates to nearly half of Nur Shams’ buildings being damaged or destroyed and hundreds of families without proper shelter.

Earlier this year, the Israeli army launched violent and widespread military operations targeting several West Bank cities, including Nur Shams, Tulkarem, and Jenin. The operations restricted the movement of people, prevented individuals from going to work, and damaged key infrastructure.  

The demolitions, some of which started in early December, have left dozens of families with no home to go to. 

Rights groups believe the demolitions are a broader part of Israeli strategy aimed at removing Palestinian homes to create space for Israeli infrastructure, such as roads to ease access for military vehicles within the densely built refugee camps of the West Bank.

Nur Shams, along with other refugee camps in the West Bank, was established after the Nakba of 1948, when Zionist militias expelled over 700,000 Palestinians to pave way for the creation of Israel. 

With time, the camps established inside the West Bank became dense neighbourhoods, with residents passing on their refugee status from one generation to the next.

Human Rights Watch last month reported that the forced displacement of residents of refugee camps amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.