Israel demolishes Palestinian homes in West Bank amid illegal‑construction claims

Israeli officials said they razed dozens of Palestinian structures in the occupied West Bank, citing lack of building permits. Interior Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir boasted that “in the last year I have demolished 5,700 homes,” calling the action a legal response to “illegal construction.”

In the village of Velce in the Bethlehem area, Israeli soldiers halted construction on 15 homes, labeling them “unlicensed.” Village council head Hıdır el‑Arac reported that, in addition to the homes, two agricultural sheds and a concrete wall were also destroyed. Palestinian authorities contend that the demolitions are part of a broader policy to expand Israeli settlements and restrict Palestinian building and farming activities in Area C of the West Bank.

The incidents come amid intensified raids and arrests in the West Bank and East Jerusalem since Israel’s October 2023 offensive in Gaza.