Israel orders demolition of homes in besieged West Bank village following legal challenge

Israeli authorities in the occupied West Bank have authorised the demolition of Palestinian homes in a village in the south Hebron Hills whose residents have challenged the encroachment of extremist settlers.

The Civil Administration – the Israeli occupation's governing body in the territory – on Tuesday issued a demolition notice for more than a dozen buildings in the hamlet of Umm al-Kheir, according to Haaretz.

The authority gave residents two weeks in which to appeal the decision.

Around 200 Palestinian Bedouins live in the village, which is part of Masafer Yatta in the southern West Bank. It has been subject to a sustained campaign of threats and intimidation from settlers in the nearby Carmel settlement.

The Israeli government has for years designated Umm al-Kheir as "illegal" and appropriated some of its land to build Carmel.

The notice was issued on the same day that a Jerusalem court summoned the Israeli army to explain why it had not enforced an order preventing settlers occupying an illegal outpost close to the village.

The court more than two weeks ago issued an order that barred settlers from moving into the outpost and continuing construction "until further notice" in response to a petition by Israeli campaign group Peace Now.

The order was violated the day after it was issued when settlers placed new caravans near Umm al-Kheir, according to lawyers representing the group.

The army admitted that settlers had continued construction, but claimed it did not have authority to remove the settlers and that responsibility to enforce the order lies with the Hebron Hills Regional Council.

Lawyers representing the village said the demolition order is a "clear act of retaliation" against the community for demanding action against the settlers.

"The Civil Administration's message is clear: this is what happens to anyone who dares ask us to stop illegal settler construction," they said.

In July, Israeli settlers shot and killed renowned Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen near Umm al-Kheir.