Israel razes 2 Palestinian homes in occupied West Bank

RAMALLAH, Palestine (AA) – Israeli forces on Thursday demolished the home of a Palestinian man accused of killing two Israeli soldiers in a shooting attack in the West Bank last December. <br> </p> <p>Israeli bulldozers destroyed the home of Assem Barghouthi in the village of Kubar north of Ramallah at dawn Thursday, according to witnesses. <br> </p> <p>Witnesses said that Israeli forces had cordoned off the area surrounding the targeted home, triggering clashes with dozens of Palestinian youths.</p> <p>Israeli soldiers then reportedly used live ammunition to disperse the crowds. <br> </p> <p>The Israeli authorities accuse Barghouthi of killing two soldiers and injuring eight Israeli settlers last year in two separate shooting attacks in the West Bank. <br> </p> <p>Assem was arrested by Israeli forces on Jan. 8 following a monthlong manhunt. <br> </p> <p>Assem's brother, Saleh, was shot dead by Israeli forces last December for his alleged involvement in the attacks. <br> </p> <p>The Israeli army still relies on “emergency” legislation dating back to the British Mandate period (1920-1948) to demolish Palestinian homes whose owners are accused of carrying out attacks on Israelis. <br> </p> <p>In the West Bank city of Nablus, meanwhile, the Israeli army demolished another Palestinian home on the pretext that it had been built without official permission. <br> </p> <p>At dawn Thursday, two bulldozers backed by dozens of soldiers stormed the village of Burqa near Nablus before demolishing the structure, which had been owned by a local Palestinian. <br> </p> <p>Burqa is located in what the Oslo Accords designate as “Area C” of the West Bank, over which Israel enjoys full administrative and security control. <br> </p> <p>Palestinians are forbidden to build structures in Area C without first getting permits from the Israeli authorities, which are almost impossible to obtain. <br> </p> <p>Signed in 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, the Oslo Accords divided the occupied West Bank — including East Jerusalem — into Areas A, B, and C. <br> </p> <p>Area A falls under the Palestinian Authority (PA)’s administrative and security control; Area B falls under the PA’s administrative control and Israeli security control; and Area C falls under the exclusive administrative and security control of Israel. </p> <p>In a related development, Israeli forces detained 17 Palestinians in overnight raids carried out across the West Bank, according to the Israeli army. <br> </p> <p>The 17 individuals were detained for suspected involvement in “terrorist and violent disorders” directed against Israeli targets, the army said in a Thursday statement. <br> </p> <p>Suspects, the army added, had since been referred to the relevant authorities for interrogation. <br> </p> <p>The Israeli army frequently carries out wide-ranging arrest campaigns across the West Bank and Jerusalem on the pretext of searching for “wanted” Palestinians. <br> </p> <p>An estimated 6,000 Palestinians are currently languishing in Israeli prisons, including numerous women and children and a handful of lawmakers.