Israeli army bulldozers demolishing Palestinian homes in Bir Una, a Beit Jala neighborhood. (WAFA photos/Ahmad Muszher)

BETHLEHEM- January 29, 2018 (WAFA) - Israeli forces raided early Monday Bir Una area, southwest of Beit Jala in the south of West Bank, and demolished two buildings, according to sources.

Hasan Breijieh, an activist in the anti-settlements, anti-wall committee in Bethlehem, told WAFA that a large army force gave cover to bulldozers as they proceeded to demolish two three-story buildings in Bir Una that were still until construction owned by Waleed Zreena and Isa Awad under the pretext of building without a permit.

He said that Israel wants to demolish all Palestinian buildings in Bir Una, an area it wants to annex and make part of Jerusalem.

At least a quarter of the Bir Una houses have received Israeli demolition orders under the pretext of building without permits.

The sparsely-populated Bir Una neighborhood makes almost 30 percent of the area of Beit Jala and has been targeted by Israel for annexation for decades.

in a different development, Bureijieh told Voice of Palestine radio on Monday that Israeli settlers razed lands in the town of al-Khader, near Bethlehem, aiming to create a new fact on the ground that would allow them to control it by force and with support from the Israeli government.

He said the land, which belongs to Mohammed Abu Samra, was previously seized by extremist settler gangs but was recovered following a decision by an Israeli court.

C.K./M.N./M.K.