Palestinian community destroyed by Israeli forces for the fifth time in less than three months

Humsa Al Bqai’a in the Jordan Valley is one of 38 Bedouin and herding communities that are partially or fully located within Israeli declared ‘firing zones’.

The community has faced four demolitions in just one week and was raided by Israeli forces earlier this month, just three months after it was destroyed in November last year.

On 1-3 February, 44 structures, including tents and animal shelters, were destroyed. Nearly 100 residents, among them 32 children, were left homeless during the raid and families were forced to sleep outside in the cold.

Tents that were donated by humanitarian organisations to families whose shelters had been destroyed during previous raids were confiscated.

ActionAid Palestine condemns the illegal and forcible transfer of the community of Humsa Al Bqai’a.

It is an example of the continuous forced displacement operations and war crimes that violate international laws in the occupied Palestinian territory.

The extensive demolition and confiscation of property, and the forcible transfer of residents are grave breaches of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

ActionAid Palestine is calling on Israel to immediately halt unlawful demolitions. Third states and the international community must hold Israel accountable for its unlawful policies against Palestinian civilians and urgently intervene.

These are some of the most vulnerable communities in the West Bank, with limited access to education and health services, and to water, sanitation, and electricity infrastructure. The demolitions are leaving families homeless in winter, in the midst of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.