RAMALLAH, September 17, 2025 (WAFA) – Israeli authorities demolished 40 homes in the village of al-Sir, an unrecognized and threatened village in the Negev desert.

Local sources said that Israeli police fired sound and smoke grenades at the residents protesting the demolitions, while fires broke out inside several homes after their owners set them on fire in response to the arrival of Israeli bulldozers, sparking clashes and assaults on locals.

Dozens of families now face the threat of forced displacement, with approximately 50 families received immediate demolition orders for their homes. This move comes after the demolition of approximately 30 homes last week, leaving many residents homeless in dire conditions.

The village is home to approximately 1,500 people, and residents confirm that Israeli authorities are offering no alternative solutions and are continuing their demolitions and uprooting of trees to prevent residents from returning to their lands.

The village's residents are living in extremely difficult conditions due to the ongoing home demolitions by the Israeli government, the so-called "Bedouin Settlement Authority," and the Negev Police, which persecutes the Arab residents of the area.

In recent months, more than 60 homes and agricultural structures in the village have been demolished in three phases. According to a ruling by the Beersheba court ordering the evacuation of the village, more than 200 homes are expected to be demolished in the coming weeks.

Y.S