HEBRON, April 21, 2015 (WAFA) – The Israeli authorities Tuesday notified a local resident of Susia to the south of Hebron, about their intent to demolish his private-owned residential tents, whereas forces demolished a structure in Ramallah, according to local sources.

Rateb Jabour, of the Anti-Settlement Committee in Hebron, said an Israeli army force stormed the village and handed Khalil Afaneh, a local resident, a military order to demolish two residential tents that house him and his family.

The village is part of Masafer Yatta, a collection of almost 19 hamlets south of Hebron which relies heavily on animal husbandry as the main source of livelihood. The area is a frequent target of recurrent Israeli assaults.

Located in Area C of the West Bank under full Israeli administrative and military control, Masafer Yatta has been subject to repeated Israeli violations by settlers and army soldiers targeting their main source of living: livestock.

On March 29, the Israeli government has asked the High Court of Justice for permission to demolish the ancient Palestinian village of Susia and relocate its residents to nearby Yatta.

The Israeli daily Haaretz said the government’s intent was noted in a response to the High Court of Justice regarding a petition filled by Susia’s residents and human rights organizations about a year ago.

Prior to this, another petition was filed by the Regavim organization, funded by settler-group Amana and regional authorities in the West Bank, calling for Palestinian “illegal outposts” in Susia to be demolished.

Attorney Kamar Mishraki-Asad, representing Sussia residents, said that, “… for many years the [Israeli] army has prohibited residents from setting up their homes in the area, and rejected any request for construction or planning permits, in order to keep them away from the Sussia settlement and to allow the settlers to continue seizing the agricultural lands, and expel the residents to Areas A and B.”

Meanwhile, forces demolished Tuesday afternoon a storage facility in Silwad town to the east of Ramallah.

The facility owner, ‘Abdullah Tawfiq, informed WAFA that he was surprised when he arrived in his land to find the facility completely demolished without any prior notice.

Tawfiq noted that he used the facility to store the stone-shaping tools he uses for work along with two other colleagues.

To be noted, this is the second time forces demolish the structure; forces, last May of 2014, demolished the afore-mentioned structure, causing the owner financial losses amounting to around $775.

M.N./K.F./T.R.