BETHLEHEM, Thursday, July 23, 2020 (WAFA) – Israeli forces delivered this morning military demolition and stop-construction orders against several structures in al-Walaja village, west of Bethlehem city, said a local source.

Ibrahim Awadallah, a local activist, said Israeli forces delivered military orders to stop the construction and demolish three houses in Jabal al-Rwisat area of the village, purportedly for being built without licenses.

The owners of the houses slated for demolition were given time to carry out the demolition by themselves or risk paying exorbitant demolition costs if done by the army.

Meanwhile, Israeli troops stormed Khallat Samak area in the village, where they handed military orders to stop the construction and demolish a water well and livestock barns.

Yesterday, similar orders were issued against a house under construction and four agricultural rooms in the same village.

Located west of Bethlehem, 97 percent of the area of al-Walaja village is isolated by a section of Israel’s apartheid wall. The majority of this land is agricultural land, forests and open spaces.

The village is flanked by two illegal Israeli colonial settlements - Gilo from the east and Har Gilo from the south.

K.F./M.K.