BETHLEHEM, February 16, 2018 (WAFA) – Israeli authorities Friday ordered a halt on the ongoing construction of three homes and a water well in the village of Umm Salmuna, to the south of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, according to Palestinian security sources.

An Israeli army force raided the village and handed a notification to three Palestinian citizens from the village ordering them to stop the construction of the three homes and the water well, under the pretext of being built without an Israeli permit.

The village is located in Area C of the occupied West Bank, under complete Israeli military control.

Israel prevents Palestinians living in the area, which makes up more than 60 percent of the West Bank, from building anything on their land, forcing many of them to embark on construction without obtaining a permit to fulfill their housing needs.

M.N.