In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces have destroyed homes in a Palestinian Bedouin community

Ramallah, July 9 (RHC)-- In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces have destroyed homes in a Palestinian Bedouin community for the seventh time since November, claiming they were built without permits.  

A Palestinian Authority official said Wednesday’s demolition left dozens of people homeless, including 35 children.  Muataz Bsharat told reporters: “This is evidence that the occupation state is carrying out state-sponsored terrorism against the Palestinian existence.  Now 63 Palestinians have become homeless. Eleven families had their homes demolished and confiscated.  Even water tanks that a Palestinian citizen uses to provide water for their family and their livestock, they were confiscated and destroyed by the occupation.”

Elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, Israel’s military blew up the family home of a Palestinian American man accused of killing an Israeli teenager.  Thursday’s explosions leveled the home of Sanaa Shalaby, who says her estranged husband rarely visited the property.

Israel’s home demolition drew a rare rebuke from the U.S. State Department, which said Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised the issue with senior Israeli officials.  Human rights groups have condemned Israel’s punitive home demolitions as collective punishment and a violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention.