The Israeli authorities notified Palestinian Bedouin families on Thursday of the planned demolition of their houses, giving them a deadline of 1 February to evacuate the structures.

The structures facing demolition are situated between the West Bank cities of Nablus and Ramallah.

Suleiman El-Zawahra, a Palestinian citizen, said that the families were told evacuate the structures, stressing that the demolition process targets more than 30 facilities that are used for housing and ranching.

In an interview with Quds Press Service, El-Zawahra noted that the structures belong to a number of Palestinian Bedouin families and are inhabited by around 80 individuals.

He explained that the Israeli authorities have declared the region a “closed military zone” which means building and residing there is prohibited. He stressed that the Bedouin families have been living there for nearly 30 years.

El-Zawahra explained that the families were told to evacuate the area years ago, but they filed a petition to object to the decision. The court recently rejected the appeal.

He pointed out that the Bedouin families do not have any alternative accommodation.

The Israeli authorities are attempting to demolish many Palestinian Bedouin villages in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in order to expand Israeli settlements.

(MEMO)