Israeli forces demolish Palestinian house in Jericho

"In recent months, Israel has ramped up demolitions against Palestinian property in the Jordan Valley," human rights activists told The New Arab. "Demolitions include farming barracks, irrigation pools and greenhouses."
2 min read
West Bank
20 July, 2022
The house was still in construction, planned to house Yousef's family, including his four children. [Ali Karshan/TNA]

Israeli forces demolished a Palestinian house early on Tuesday outside the Aqbat Jabr refugee camp, south of Jericho.

The house belonged to Yousef Karshan, a disabled father of four, and was built on the edge of the refugee camp, a few metres inside the limits of "Area C", where according to the Oslo Accords, Palestinians are not allowed to build or construct by Israel.

"Yousef lives with his wife and children in a barrack of wood and tent cloth, just like me and my family," Ali Karshan, Yousef's cousin, told The New Arab.

"Area C" covers over 61% of the West Bank surface. It includes settlements, borders, water resources, agricultural lands and all of the Jordan Valley, except the city of Jericho's urban area and two refugee camps, one of which is Aqbat Jabr.

"In recent months, Israel has ramped up demolitions against Palestinian property in the Jordan Valley", Fares Fuqaha, a human rights activist in the Jordan Valley, said to The New Arab. "Demolitions include farming barracks, irrigation pools and greenhouses, as well as confiscation of equipment." 

Israeli leaders have repeatedly promised to annex the Jordan Valley, home to dozens of Palestinian villages and Bedouin communities. Recently, Israeli settler leaders announced a plan to expand settlements on some 1,000 km2 of natural land, swallowing a big part of the Jordan Valley.