Palestinians demand to return to West Bank refugee camp
The Israeli army displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians from Nur Shams, Jenin and Tulkarem refugee camps last year.
Human Rights Watch has called Israel’s emptying of refugee camps in the West Bank, and its refusal to allow people to return home, a war crime
New Israeli measures seize control over religious sites
Israel’s announcement moves to expand Israeli control over two major religious sites in the occupied West Bank.
In Hebron, the West Bank’s largest Palestinian city, municipal bylaws will be amended to transfer building-permit authority in areas around the Ibrahimi Mosque to COGAT, Israel’s military body overseeing civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories.
Asma al-Sharbati, Hebron’s deputy mayor, called the move “the most dangerous ongoing Israeli trend”, adding settlement expansion is happening at a “rapid pace”.
The Bilal bin Rabah Mosque, currently administered by the Bethlehem municipality, will similarly be placed under a newly created Israeli authority.
More Israeli raids reported across occupied West Bank
Israeli forces have stormed the village of al-Mughayyir, northeast of Ramallah, firing stun grenades and tear gas canisters, Wafa reports. Separately, the Israeli army also raided the town of Anata, in the Jerusalem governorate, and opened fire with rubber-coated metal rounds.
Armed settlers also attacked Hizma, northeast of Jerusalem, firing weapons at residents and damaging several parked vehicles.
More than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements and outposts in the West Bank, which are illegal under international law. About 3 million Palestinians live in the occupied West Bank. Another 200,000 Israelis live in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem, which the UN says is part of the Palestinian territory.
