IDF demolishes Beduin huts in W. Bank

Scuffles break out between soldiers and squatters before 7 illegal huts razed.

beduin construction 298 (photo credit: )
beduin construction 298
(photo credit: )
The IDF on Wednesday demolished seven huts and tents belonging to Beduin Arabs who live near Jewish settlements in the southern West Bank, residents and the army said. Several of the Beduin men displaced by the demolition in the Hathaleen area southeast of Hebron scuffled with soldiers as the forces removed mattresses and other belongings from the homes before two bulldozers knocked them down. Some of the women threw stones at the soldiers while others fell to the ground, sobbing. Four Beduin were detained by the soldiers, according to witnesses. A total of 75 Beduin were displaced by the demolition, residents said. The army said the structures did not have building permits and the Palestinians had been warned to take them down. "We went to court to try to stop the demolitions but we didn't succeed," said resident Mahmud Abu Aram. The army's Civil Administration, which issues demolition orders, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on why the huts were knocked down. Israel often demolishes Palestinian structures built without permission in the areas of the West Bank that it controls. After sundown Wednesday, Israeli forces removed about 20 Jewish settlers from an empty house in the divided West Bank city of Hebron, a few hours after the Israelis - mostly women and children - entered the structure, Army radio reported.