Israeli forces placed explosives in a multi-story building in the neighborhood of Wadi Hummus on the outskirts of occupied East Jerusalem on 22 July. Abedalrahman Hassan APA images

Israeli forces began the demolition of some 100 apartments on the outskirts of occupied East Jerusalem early Monday.

The 13 buildings targeted for demolition, many still under construction, are located in the Wadi Hummus neighborhood on the outskirts of Sur Bahir, a village southeast of Jerusalem in the occupied West Bank.

“Families were taken out of their beds, expelled from their homes and forced to helplessly watch the army destroying them,” according to Ir Amim, an Israeli group that documents settlement activity in Jerusalem.

היום, ב-4 לפנות בוקר, הגיעו הבולדוזרים מלווים כוחות צבא גדולים והחלו בהריסות הבתים בוואדי חומוס. המשפחות הושכמו מהמיטות, פונו מבתיהן ונאלצו לצפות בחוסר אונים בצבא הורס את אותם. #הורסים_את_ירושלים pic.twitter.com/8Yz6H1zS6B — עיר עמים (@IrAmim) July 22, 2019

“Among those forcibly displaced or otherwise impacted are Palestine refugees, some of whom today are facing the reality of a second displacement in living memory,” UN monitoring group OCHA stated.

Some 17 Palestinians already inhabited the buildings, according to UN officials, and many more would have been waiting to move into their homes.

OCHA added that while it was trying to provide emergency aid to displaced families, “no amount of humanitarian assistance can replace a home or cover the massive financial losses sustained today by the owners.”

“Several of the affected people report having invested their life savings into the properties, after securing the required building permits from the Palestinian Authority.”

Wadi Hummus lies in Area A of the occupied West Bank, which is nominally under the full control of the Palestinian Authority, according to the Oslo accords of the early 1990s.

But as Monday’s demolition rampage shows, PA control is illusory and Israeli occupation forces act as they wish.

“Demographic war”

Israel refuses to permit virtually any Palestinian construction in occupied East Jerusalem or in Area C – the 60 percent of the West Bank that remains under full Israeli military control.

This forces Palestinians to build without permits on their own land and live in constant fear of demolitions.

Construction in Area A and Area B, however, does not require Israeli approval and is done with the permission of the PA.

Palestinian residents of Sur Bahir resort to building in Wadi Hummus to circumvent demolition threats, saying, according to Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, that it is “the only area that remains for future expansion of the village” as the rest is surrounded by the separation wall and Jewish-only settlements.

That did not stop Israel from finding a way to forcibly transfer the residents.

Palestinians stand on the rubble of a building demolished by Israeli forces on the outskirts of occupied East Jerusalem on 22 July. Abedalrahman Hassan APA images

“Although the demolition of Palestinian homes is routine in East Jerusalem, the Wadi Hummus case is particularly notable, since Israel demolished houses there when the entire issue of construction and its approval in the area is not within Israel’s jurisdiction,” Ir Amim stated.

According to OCHA, targeted buildings lie in areas A, B and C.

Israel’s defense ministry ordered Palestinians to evacuate the apartments under the pretext of being too close to Israel’s separation wall and therefore a “security threat.”

Years ago, Israel banned construction within 250 meters of the wall, which runs mostly through the occupied West Bank.

But Ir Amim rejected the “security” pretext, blasting Israel’s policy as a “demographic war waged against East Jerusalem residents.”

Palestinians have challenged the defense ministry in Israel’s high court, but to no avail.

The court, which habitually gives legal cover to Israel’s violations of Palestinian rights, ruled in favor of the defense ministry in June and rejected a petition to postpone the demolitions on Sunday, giving occupation forces the green light to begin the campaign of destruction.

Bulldozers at dawn

Israeli forces arrived before dawn on Monday and placed explosives in a multi-story building in Wadi Hummus, activists told Haaretz:

قوات الاحتلال تُفخخ بناية سكنية تمهيداً لهدمها بصور باهر في #القدس المحتلة.#مجزرة_الهدم pic.twitter.com/4Diw4FXkNi — شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) July 22, 2019

Occupation forces then forcibly expelled families from their homes:

WATCH: This is what it looks like when occupation military raids a house in the early morning to demolish it, because Palestinians call it home.



When trying to make him leave, the resident refuses to move. "This is our life", he says pic.twitter.com/62MSw6iVZk — All That's Left: Anti-Occupation Collective (@ATLCol) July 22, 2019

These kids are watching their home be demolished from next door. pic.twitter.com/upNNSI8lmh — All That's Left: Anti-Occupation Collective (@ATLCol) July 22, 2019

Local media circulated images and videos of the demolition on social media:

الاحتلال يواصل #مجزرة_الهدم لعشرات الوحدات السكنية للفلسطينيين بواد الحمص في #القدس المحتلة. pic.twitter.com/AGgHejEfyK — شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) July 22, 2019

الاحتلال يواصل تشريد عشرات الفلسطينيين من منازلهم بالهدم في #القدس المحتلة.#مجزرة_الهدم pic.twitter.com/8z6MqKiCDR — شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) July 22, 2019

Israeli forces place explosive devices in a 9 story building in Wadi Homs in preparation for bombing it. #Jerusalem #Palestine pic.twitter.com/uNv043eUtY — Quds News Network (@QudsNen) July 22, 2019

Dozens of international activists gathered in Wadi Hummus to protest the impending demolitions early Monday, according to anti-occupation group All That’s Left:

Around fifty activists from around the world here in #surbaher #wadihummus in occupied East Jerusalem standing with the Palestinian families here facing home demolitions in the middle of the night here. Tell the world: EVERYBODY has the right to a home.https://t.co/CFlD5OKXQu — All That's Left: Anti-Occupation Collective (@ATLCol) July 22, 2019

Some were beaten and tear-gassed, according to the International Solidarity Movement:

Update: multiple Palestinian citizens and ISM activists beaten, pepper sprayed and tear gassed whilst peacefully resisting demolitions in Wadi al-Hummus. They were dragged by their hair, had their heads and necks stamped on, and were bashed in the face with guns by border police. — ISM Palestine (@ISMPalestine) July 22, 2019

Israel is trying to force an end to any kind of resistance to its military occupation of Jerusalem.

Israel passed a law last year so that occupation authorities can revoke Palestinian Jerusalemites’ residency status if they should be found in “breach of allegiance” to Israel.

Media photos show that Israeli forces used equipment from manufacturers Scania AB, Caterpillar and Hyundai in carrying out the demolition.

Right now! Israeli occupation forces demolishing 100 homes in Wadi Al Humus affecting ~1000 Palestinians in occupied E. Jerusalem.@CaterpillarInc & @Hyundai Heavy Industries machinery used.#BDS is our most powerful tool for accountability and justice. https://t.co/Nd8BOS9BKt pic.twitter.com/BtuAzX3T9H — BDS movement (@BDSmovement) July 22, 2019

Palestinians call for boycotting and divesting from these corporations as they supply much of the equipment Israel regularly uses to demolish Palestinian homes and even to carry out extrajudicial executions by bulldozer.

Israeli forces use Hyundai equipment to destroy homes in the neighborhood of Wadi Hummus on the outskirts of occupied East Jerusalem. Ahmed Mezher WAFA / APA images

Toothless condemnation

Earlier this month, the European Union’s offices in the occupied West Bank issued a toothless statement to “note with concern” Israel’s intention to demolish the buildings in Wadi Hummus.

“The continuation of this policy undermines the viability of the two-state solution and the prospect for a lasting peace,” the EU added, underscoring that its core “concern” is a fear of jeopardizing the already moribund two-state solution.

On Monday, Maja Kocijancic, spokesperson for EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, stated that the EU “expect[s] the Israeli authorities to immediately halt the ongoing demolitions.”

On the demolition of 10 Palestinian buildings in East Jerusalem 👉 https://t.co/b7A9jRdGDU — Maja Kocijančič (@MajaEUspox) July 22, 2019

But the EU announced no change in its policy of virtually unconditional political support and financial assistance to Israel – a policy that amounts to rewarding and incentivizing its crimes against Palestinians.

Just last month, EU diplomats posed for photos with officials from Israel’s defense ministry, which ordered Monday’s demolitions:

Director of the Policy & Political-Military Bureau, Zohar Palti was invited by @EUinIsrael and @EGiaufretEU to discuss strategic security issues concerning the Middle East, together with European ambassadors to Israel. pic.twitter.com/TzW4l7jX2A — Ministry of Defense (@Israel_MOD) June 4, 2019

Nickolay Mladenov, the UN Middle East envoy, condemned Israel’s demolitions:

Despite calls not to go ahead with the demolition, the destruction of residential buildings in #SurBahir will displace many #Palestinian families. No amount of humanitarian aid can compensate their suffering! #Israel must stop this policy. #UN statement https://t.co/FXjc5qs3if — Nickolay E. MLADENOV (@nmladenov) July 22, 2019

Saleh Higazi, deputy director of Amnesty International’s Middle East program, stated that Israel’s demolition policy under the guise of “security threats” doesn’t “stand up to scrutiny.”

“The truth is that for decades Israel’s authorities have taken arbitrary and disproportionate measures in the name of security to expand their control over Palestinian land and push Palestinians out of areas they consider strategic.”

Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s executive committee, also condemned the demolition on Monday.

“First Israel militarily occupies the land, then it builds a repulsive apartheid wall, then it decides to demolish Palestinian homes built on Palestinian land with legal Palestinian permits because of their proximity to the wall!” Ashrawi said.

“Criminality beyond words.”

Ashrawi called on the International Criminal Court and Fatou Bensouda, the chief prosecutor, to “immediately launch an investigation into this and other ongoing Israeli war crimes against the Palestinian people and consider any further delay completely inexcusable. Delaying justice any further is tantamount to its denial.”

At least one commentator, however, pointed to the complicity of the Palestinian Authority, which routinely cooperates with maintaining the Israeli military occupation through so-called security coordination:

You conveniently forgot the part when local collaborators cover for the occupation and “التنسيق الامني" becomes “خط احمر" https://t.co/yJRysgoSUl — Lowkey (@Lowkey0nline) July 22, 2019

The Israeli government-backed Act.IL app is directing its users to “like” a comment blaming the Palestinian Authority for permitting contruction close to the wall and shedding “crocodile tears” after Israel demolishes their homes:

As Israel demolishes 70 Palestinian homes today, leaving 100 families homeless, Israel's propaganda app is on Facebook promoting this act of forced displacement. App-endorsed comments accuse Palestinians of "crocodile tears" and supporting terrorism. pic.twitter.com/EkkuyIobbo — Behind Israel's Troll Army (@AntiBDSApp) July 22, 2019

Israeli settlers have constructed 16 settlement outposts without Israeli permission in the occupied West Bank since 2017, according to the Israeli group Peace Now.

That’s in addition to rapid expansion of settlements on Palestinian land authorized by the Israeli government – a war crime.

Harassing witness of crimes

Meanwhile, Israel is harassing the volunteer who filmed the point-blank execution of an injured Palestinian in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron in March 2016.

Imad Abu Shamsiyeh filmed the moment Israeli army medic Elor Azarya shot and killed Abd al-Fattah Yusri al-Sharif, who was already incapacitated.

Last month, Abu Shamsiyeh suffered a sunstroke and his wife called an ambulance.

Israeli forces prevented the Red Crescent ambulance from crossing a checkpoint into the Hebron neighborhood where Abu Shamsiyeh lives.

Paramedics were forced to go by foot to transfer Abu Shamsiyeh to the ambulance, according to Israeli human rights group B’Tselem.

Since the March 2016 killing, Abu Shamsiyeh and his family have experienced harassment, assault and death threats from Israeli settlers backed by Israeli forces.

Israelis living in the nearby settlement of Admot Yishai “turned the lives of the local Palestinian residents into a living hell of draconian travel restrictions and constant harassment and violence,” B’Tselem has stated.

Some members of the Abu Shamsiyeh family moved to live with relatives in occupied East Jerusalem to escape such dangers.

The graphic footage published by B’Tselem at the time shows Azarya approaching al-Sharif as he lay immobilized, pointing his weapon at his head and shooting him.

Azarya was released from prison in May 2018 after serving just nine months for killing al-Sharif.

The gunman returned to the site of the shooting to a hero’s welcome from settlers.