Israeli forces demolish home as settler attacks continue in occupied West Bank

Israeli forces demolished an inhabited two-storey home near Bethlehem on Tuesday, citing the lack of a building permit, Wafa news agency reported. Forces prevented the family from removing their belongings.

Jerusalem church leaders condemned a settler attack on Palestinian olive harvesters and visiting European diplomats near Ramallah on Saturday, saying it formed part of a wider campaign of settler violence.

Israeli forces and settlers carried out 13 attacks and violations against Palestinians and their property on Tuesday, the Colonisation and Wall Resistance Commission said. The attacks included assaults on farmers, theft of crops, equipment and sheep, damage to trees, home raids, road closures and the expansion of a settler outpost.

A settler deliberately rammed a village council head’s vehicle east of Bethlehem on Tuesday night, causing severe damage, the council head told Wafa.

Israeli forces detained, blindfolded and abused several young Palestinian men during a raid in Tulkarm, local sources told Wafa. Forces also damaged parked vehicles and used a Palestinian resident as a human shield while searching homes in a nearby suburb, the sources said.