Israel occupation seizes 70 Palestine homes in Hebron's Old City

Heavy duty machines of Israeli forces demolish a Palestinian family's house allegedly for being unauthorized in Hebron, West Bank on November 28, 2022. [Mamoun Wazwaz - Anadolu Agency]

Israeli occupation authorities have started plans to confiscate 70 Palestinian homes in the Old City of the southern occupied West Bank governorate of Hebron.

Director of the Hebron Construction Committee Imad Hamdan said the Israeli occupation plans to hand over the Palestinian homes to Israeli settlers.

Hamdan added: "The Israeli raid of Nasreddine Building is the start of the implementation of the Israeli plan," reiterating that the Palestinians "are the genuine owners of these homes and shops."

At the same time, he stressed that Palestinian ownership of these buildings is protected by local and international laws, which guarantee the safe and secure residence of citizens and prevent forced expulsion.

Meanwhile, Palestinian activist in Hebron Issa Amro criticised the Construction Committee's "weak response" to the Israeli occupation plans, stressing: "The start of the implementation of the Israeli plan, disclosed early this year, sounds a dangerous alarm."

Amro stated: "The forced expulsion of Palestinians out of Nasreddine Building, which is located in the most sensitive places in the Old City, is not an incident to pass without any official action."

Amro accused the Hebron Construction Committee, a Palestinian government body, of coordinating the theft of Palestinian property with the Israeli occupation authorities.

The activist condemned the silence of the Hebron Construction Committee over the demolition of six Palestinian shops by Israeli settlers in the heart of the city a couple of days ago, stating that the committee has a large budget and is able to do much more for the protection of Palestinian property in the city.