Ma'an News Agency
April 7, 2011 - 12:00am
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=376379


Witnesses said six bulldozers and hundreds of soldiers were deployed throughout the Jordan Valley village of Aqrava on Thursday morning, when two homes and road entrances were taken down by Israeli forces.

Sami Sadeq, head of the village council, said two streets leading out of the village were torn up, effectively rendering them useless for travel, forcing residents to take long detours and exit via the main entrance of the village.

Sadeq said some 95 percent of the structures in the village have demolition orders issued on them, including the village's grand mosque, kindergarten and homes.

The bulldozing destroyed electricity poles at the entrance of the village, and the homes of Mohammad Hassen Subieh and Abed An-Naser Ahmad Subieh, the official said.

Israeli daily news site Ynet said the military and Civil Administration "destroyed 3 illegal Palestinian structures and two pathways in Jordan Valley," saying all were in an areas designated as a firing field.

The demolitions come as UN figures show a continued increase in home demolitions hit a record high during the first three months of 2011.

Ffigures from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees recorded 76 demolitions of Palestinian buildings in March, forcibly displacing 158 Palestinians including 64 children.

So far this year, Israel has demolished the homes of 333 Palestinians, including 175 children, UNRWA reported.




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