Israel demolishes Palestinian building in West Bank

By Awad Rjoob

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) — Israeli forces on Sunday demolished a Palestinian structure in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, according to a local activist.

“A building that was constructed in 1967 and used as a bus stop was razed by Israeli forces,” Imad Abu Shamsiyya, coordinator of the Human Rights Defenders Association in Hebron, told Anadolu.

He said this building was confiscated by the Israeli army for military purposes in 1980.

“In 2018, the army decided to transfer this Palestinian building to settlers,” he said. “Settlers plan to build 32 settlement units and kindergartens on the ruins of the building."

There was no comment from the Israeli authorities on the report.

The demolished building was located hundreds of meters away from the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron’s Old City, which is under Israel’s control.

Under the Hebron Agreement signed in 1997 between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel, the city was divided into two areas -- H1, subject to Palestinian control, and H2 under Israeli control.

It is estimated that 20% of the city’s area, in which the old city and the Ibrahimi Mosque are located, is in H2.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi