Rights group petitions Israel’s top court to halt West Bank demolitions
Adalah, a legal centre defending Palestinian rights in Israel, has petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court to seek “an immediate freeze and cancellation” of home demolition orders targeting communities in the occupied West Bank.
The Israeli army is targeting more than 100 homes and buildings in the Nur Shams and Tulkarem refugee camps, in the northern West Bank, Adalah said. The area has borne the brunt of an escalating campaign of Israeli military violence in recent months.
“This morning, the military began demolishing buildings in Nur Shams, reportedly destroying 18 structures,” Adalah said in a statement.
“The military ordered the demolition of approximately 104 civilian buildings, home to at least 1,000 people – primarily refugee families who have already been displaced and are currently sheltering in nearby towns. Most residents were never informed of the demolition orders and thus they were denied any opportunity to object, in violation of basic due process.”
Adalah has accused Israel – which has argued the demolitions are a matter of “military necessity” – of violating international humanitarian law, including prohibitions on the destruction of civilian property and collective punishment.
The Supreme Court ordered Israel to respond to Adalah’s petition by Wednesday, the rights group said.
Trump says he is not planning to visit Israel as part of upcoming trip
US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he is not planning on visiting Israel at the tail end of a trip next week to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
While the White House hadn’t confirmed that Israel would be part of his upcoming trip, there have been widespread rumours in diplomatic and national security circles that he would extend his trip to visit the US ally.
