“Israeli” Forces Erase Palestinian Village in WB

By Staff, Agencies

“Israeli” occupation forces have demolished nearly an entire Palestinian community in the occupied West Bank, destroying homes, animal shelters and water infrastructure and leaving dozens of residents without shelter.

In Khirbet Al-Tabban in Masafer Yatta, in the South Al-Khalik [Hebron] Hills, the Zionist demolitions came without warning and lasted for several hours.

“What happened was the erasure of this village from existence,” local council head Nidal Younis said.

According to Younis, homes belonging to 12 families were destroyed, along with rainwater collection wells and small water tanks. Nearly all of the roughly 70 people living in the community were left homeless.

Resident Suad Mohammad Obeid said her family tried to save its belongings, only for much of what they moved to be crushed during the operation. Seven members of the family are young children.

Much of Masafer Yatta has been designated by “Israel” as a military training zone since the 1980s. Palestinians fought for decades to remain on land they say their families inhabited for generations, but “Israel’s” High Court rejected their petitions in 2022.

Younis further underlined that genuine Zionist military exercises in the area are rare, accusing the authorities of using the designation to pressure residents to leave.

The demolitions come amid mounting pressure on Palestinian communities across the West Bank. The UN says violence and displacement in the territory have reached record levels since the Gaza war began in October 2023.

Residents of Khirbet Al-Tabban mentioned that they intend to rebuild despite fears that the “Israeli” military could return and demolish the community again.