NABLUS (Ma’an) — Israeli authorities on Thursday demolished a mosque in the unrecognized Negev village of Rakhama, and issued a demolition order for an area in Nablus, home to 85 residents, local sources told Ma’an.

In the Negev, Israeli forces demolished a mosque in the unrecognized village of Rakhama for the second time this month.

Like the housing in the unrecognized village, the mosque was built with corrugated metal. Israeli forces initially destroyed the mosque on Jan. 6, but residents rebuilt the structure, which was then torn down again.

Following the first demolition, Palestinian member of the Israeli Knesset, Abu Arar, said he attempted to prevent the demolition, but had been unable to convince the Israeli authorities. “(They) do not spare any effort in exerting pressure on the Arab population of the Negev in their attempt to empty the land of Arabs and to displace them,” he said.

The Palestinian MK slammed Israel for not providing “any services to Palestinians in unrecognized villages.” Despite collecting taxes from Palestinians, he said that “Israeli authorities demolish their homes and close the doors of livelihoods in their faces.”

Meanwhile, Israeli forces delivered a demolition order to residents in the Ein al-Rashash area near Duma village in southern Nablus.

According to the order, the 85 residents that will be affected by the demolition have until next Monday to evacuate their homes.

A spokesperson for the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) said the orders were given “against 12 illegal buildings.”
The spokesperson added that “the owners of the constructions were summoned to the subcommittee of supervision as an opportunity to set up the legal regulation of the buildings.”

Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors settlement activity in the northern West Bank, confirmed the demolition order and told Ma’an that “the Israeli authorities are committing a humanitarian massacre against Palestinians in the area, especially as they have been in the area for dozens of years.”

Daghlas call on all appropriate human rights and humanitarian organizations to pressure the Israeli government to stop the “inhumane” demolition order, which he said directly supports Israeli settlement in the area.MA’AN NEWS AGENCY