Bethlehem/PNN/

The Israeli occupation forces today demolished two houses in Beit Jala and al-Walaja, northwest of the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem, under the pretext of construction without a permit despite the fact that an owner of one of the houses had an Israeli court order allowing him to continue work on his house

Beit Jala mayor, Issa Qassis, said that the occupation forces demolished a one-story house that was under construction located in the Cremisan area, near the Arab Rehabilitation Society Hospital, owned by a local resident under the pretext of not having a permit.

He pointed out that the occupation forces demolished the house despite the fact that the owner had obtained a decision from an Israeli court not to stop construction on his house.

Meanwhile, the head of al-Walaja village council, Khader Al- araj said that a large force, accompanied by a military bulldozer, stormed Ein Jweiza area, northeast of al-Walaja, and demolished a 100-square-meter house belonging to a local resident under the pretext of not being licensed.

He pointed out that Ein Jweiza has been targeted for years for Israeli settlement projects and that many Palestinian-owned homes were either demolished or notified of demolition or cessation of work on them.

He said Israel wants to empty the area of its Palestinian residents in order to use it for its illegal settlement enterprise.