Palestinians rush to retrieve belongings as West Bank braces for major Israeli demolitions
Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza The occupied West Bank city of Tulkarm is bracing for a major round of Israeli home demolitions, 100 days after the military began assaulting the city in an unprecedented campaign that threatens several formerly densely populated refugee camps. Palestinian social media channels last week circulated notifications to residents of two refugee camps in the city, Tulkarem and Nur Shams, that buildings would be destroyed 'for military purposes'. Fifty-eight homes were listed for destruction in Tulkarm Camp and 48 at Nur Shams, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa. It said the first 15 would be destroyed on Monday at Nur Shams. Residents said they were given two hours by the Israeli military to retrieve goods from homes listed for demolition on Tuesday morning. Footage on social media showed Palestinians hastily loading possessions on to trailers. Israel has used previously heavy machinery and explosives to destroy homes and streets. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been displaced since the start of the Israeli military operation, which it calls 'Iron Wall'. The operations have added pressure on authorities in a region that has been suffering economically since Israel significantly increased restrictions following the start of the Gaza War. Tel Aviv says it is 'fighting terror'. The campaign began in the nearby city of Jenin in January and soon spread to refugee camps in neighbouring cities. Although the region has seen an increased rate of raids in recent years, 'Iron Wall' is unprecedented in its length and goals, which appear to be to permanently change the structure of the occupied West Bank's most restive refugee camps, hotbeds of Palestinian militancy. Youssef Fandaka, vice chairman of Nur Shams's Popular Service Committee, criticised Palestinian Authority proposals to house the displaced in mobile homes and tents, saying they 'take us back to the bad memories of the Nakba and threaten to create new camps and therefore a new Nakba'. The Nakba, which means 'catastrophe' in Arabic, refers to the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians by Israeli forces in the 1948 War. 'We fear that temporary solutions will turn into permanent ones. If the temporary alternative will last for years, we prefer to remain on the streets rather than live in these mobile homes,' Mr Fandaka told The National. Israel's military told The National the demolitions are part of its mission to implement 'changes within the camps – including paving routes and roads – to improve mobility for the soldiers and to prevent the re-establishment of terrorist activity in the area'. 'The decision to demolish these structures is based on operational necessity and was made only after considering alternative options. Given the number of buildings slated for demolition, and despite the urgency of continuing counterterrorism operations, the matter has been publicly announced four days in advance. The public is invited to contact the authorities to explore options for evacuating their belongings from the buildings.'
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