Official: Israel to demolish school, homes near Hebron

Official: Israel to demolish school, homes near Hebron

Ma'an news

January 24, 2012 HEBRON (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces on Tuesday issued demolition orders to a school and homes near Hebron in the southern West Bank, local officials said. Bani Naim spokesman Imad Amer said forces handed notices to Shuhada al-Haram school and three homes east of the village. The municipality condemned Israel's continuous demolitions in the area which aimed to force residents to leave, Amer said in a statement. Israel frequently demolishes homes, wells, schools and recently a mosque in Area C, the 62 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli military control since 1993. Israeli authorities usually say the structures are built without permits, but Palestinians, rights groups, the UN and international organizations say such permits are almost impossible to obtain. Under international law, it is illegal for Israel to carry out demolitions in land it occupies unless the structures are used solely for military purposes. Often the demolitions target areas close to Jewish-only settlements, which are illegal under international law.