Israeli forces demolish Palestinian home in South Hebron Hills

The Israeli army demolished a house and confiscated a trailer belonging to a Palestinian family in the South Hebron Hills on Monday, sources told The New Arab.

Jebril Adarah, a resident of Masafer Yatta, told The New Arab that the trailer was used by his family to house sheep while the home was still unfinished.

"All the residents of Masafer Yatta are farmers and livestock owners," he pointed out.

"The Israeli army continuously confiscates agricultural material, like tractors, and demolishes new structures before they’re finished."

'Israel' is intensifying its demolition and expropriation practices against Palestinians without a "legal deterrence or punishment" from the international community. #Act4Palestine #StopIsraeliDemolitions pic.twitter.com/XM6nqCBABH

— Rajaa maher (@DollyPalestine) November 10, 2021

Masafer Yatta is an agglomeration of 12 villages and communities in the South Hebron Hills, with around 1,500 inhabitants. Most of its surface is located in "Area C" administrative division where the Israeli army forbids Palestinians from building or establishing any infrastructure.

Nidal Younes, the mayor of Masafer Yatta, explained to The New Arab that "the residents of Masafer Yatta have had to adapt to live with very little infrastructure, with the constant threat of demolition and confiscation by Israeli forces".

The Israeli occupation forces confiscate properties belonging to a Palestinian family in the Rifa'iya community, east of Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron now. pic.twitter.com/vnyxVz9BvJ

— Shehab (@ShehabPal) November 15, 2021

According to Younes, the Israeli army destroyed the main water supply line to Masafer Yatta, two weeks ago.

"They were actually bulldozing an agricultural road that we had opened alongside the water pipeline, and they broke the line in the process, causing a water cut for almost a whole week to 1500 people," he said.

Israeli forces regularly confiscate trailers which Palestinians use as substitutes for buildings in Area C of the West Bank.

Last week, the Israeli army confiscated housing and livestock trailers in the Northern Jordan Valley and demolished a mosque near the town of Duma, south of Nablus.