BETHLEHEM, Monday, November 25, 2019 (WAFA) - Israeli forces today demolished a Palestinian coffee shop in the southern West Bank village of Battir, near Bethlehem, according to a local official.

Battir mayor, Tayseer Qattoush, told WAFA that Israeli forces escorted a bulldozer to the village to tear down the coffee shop owned by Wisam Oweinh purportedly for being built in Area C, which is under full Israeli military control.

He pointed out that the coffee shop was built of wood and stones that do not affect the nature of the area, but rather made the place look better, stressing that Israel aims to erase the Palestinian presence in large parts of Battir in order to annex the land for settlement expansion and construction.

Battir, six kilometers west of Bethlehem, is on the UNESCO world heritage list due to its ancient terraces and Roman-era irrigation system which is still used by villagers to irrigate their crops.

It is home to a Roman spring and bath, an eco-museum and some hiking trails. Its old town is known as the Seven Widows Quarter.

M.K.