Israeli Army demolishes West Bank houses
The Israeli army demolished nine houses belonging to Palestinians in the West Bank city of Hebron, making dozens homeless.
The army said the houses lacked building permission.
In another development yesterday, dozens of Palestinians detainees rioted at an Israel army prison in the southern desert, burning tents and throwing rocks and metal bed parts at soldiers, who used tear gas and stun grenades to subdue them, the army said.
Several inmates suffered smoke inhalation, and one guard was lightly injured at the Ketziot prison, the army added.
In Hebron, Palestinian families hurriedly dragged refrigerators and sofas out of the houses before Israeli bulldozers, guarded by soldiers, began knocking down the walls. The families said they had received notices months ago that the houses would be demolished, but had not known when the work would begin.
A total of 22 homes were to be destroyed, all because they were built without permits, said Talia Somech, a spokeswoman for the army’s Civil Administration. Some had already been completed and others were still under construction, Palestinians in the area said.
Israel has been tearing down dozens of Palestinian homes in recent months. They include homes built without permission as well as houses belonging to militants involved in violence against Israel.
Yakub Sultan was building one of the houses for his son, who is to be married soon.
“The Israeli government and (Prime Minister) Ariel Sharon are destroying all our dreams by demolishing houses,” Sultan said as the bulldozers knocked down concrete walls.
Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat said the demolitions were part of Sharon’s “policy of expanding settlements and putting obstacles in the way of future peace”.
Palestinians say Israel’s stringent permit policy can make it virtually impossible to build new houses.
The demolished houses were not far from two recent attacks on Israelis. In one of them, on November 15, a total of 12 security force members were killed, and a Jewish settler was killed in the other attack last month.
Hebron is divided between Israeli and Palestinian sections and is a frequent flashpoint for violence.
Israeli troops have taken hold of the Palestinian-controlled section at various times during the past 28 months of fighting, most recently since the November attack.
In the prison uprising, the inmates were demanding that up to 80 sick inmates receive better medical treatment, according to Issa Karaka, who heads the Prisoner’s Club, a Palestinian group that monitors prisoners.
Most of the 1,100 prisoners are being held under ”administrative detention,” which allows Israel to hold them indefinitely without charging them with any crime.
The Israeli military said prisoners tried to destroy an antenna that interferes with cellular phone receptions. Mobile phones are banned at the prison. The military said seven soldiers were slightly injured by rocks.
The desert prison held a large number of inmates during the first Palestinian uprising from 1987-93, and was known for its rough living conditions, with many prisoners living and sleeping in tents. It was reopened last year to hold Palestinians suspected of involvement in violence against Israel.
Meanwhile, Sharon was preparing to meet defeated Labour Party leader Amram Mitzna today, the first time since his Likud Party easily won a general election last week.
Sharon has said he wants to bring Labour into his government, but Mitzna rejected that unless Sharon accepts Labour’s policy toward the Palestinians, which is to resume peace talks and prepare for unilateral withdrawal from Gaza.
Interviewed on Sunday on Israel TV, Mitzna said Sharon’s statements so far show “there is nothing in common between the Likud and the Labour Party”.
Election results gave Sharon the option of a majority coalition government with hawkish and Orthodox Jewish parties without Labour.
