Israel prepares to demolish 60,000 Palestinian homes

12/16/2004 9:00:00 PM GMT

Palestinian sources reported today that the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans to demolish 60,000 Palestinian houses in 1948 different areas in the occupied territories.

The Musawa (Equality) center that monitors the Israeli military violations against the Palestinians reported that Israel plans the demolition of those houses in the Negev villages to the south of occupied Palestine.

The center added that nearly 60,000 houses in those areas were constructed without permit due to obstacles resulting from the Israeli occupation.

The center, moreover, said that Arab Bedouins used to own 98% of the lands in the Negev desert before the so-called Hebrew state was established, but now and after the Israeli occupation forces confiscated most of the lands, they only own 2% of the total lands.

Last week, the Israeli government endorsed PM Sharon’s proposal to form a ministerial department to monitor the implementation of land laws, which means accelerating the demolition of thousands of Palestinian homes especially in the Negev.

Palestinian fighter killed in Gaza

Meanwhile, Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian fighter overnight near a Jewish settlement in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli army said on Thursday. The Israeli military said that soldiers killed the Palestinian man after he opened fire at four Israeli soldiers causing slight wounds.

Abu El-Reesh Brigades, an armed group within Fatah movement, confirmed that one of its fighters was en route to attack a settlement when Israeli soldiers shot him dead.

Violence has intensified in Gaza following a period of relative calm after the dead of the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in November 11.

Israeli forces ransack female charitable society

Also on Thursday, Israeli occupation forces ransacked the Khalil Al-Rahman charitable society for women in Al-Khalil city.

The Israeli forces with jeeps and armored vehicles stormed the society’s’ building at 02.30 am on Thursday, Palestinian sources reported.

Elham Al-Ja’bari, director of the society was quoted as saying that the soldiers confiscated her personal computer.

Al-Ja’bari noted that this was the second time that Israeli soldiers storm her society and wreak havoc in its premises with no apparent justifications.

Al-Ja’bari added that the Israeli army attacked the society last November and confiscated a number of its belongings.

The director slammed the Israeli military for the continuous storming; noting that the society focuses mainly on women and social fields including catering for orphans and needy families.