https://arab.news/yf5sc
- Israeli police reportedly fired sound and smoke grenades at residents of as-Sir village who were protesting the demolitions
- More than 60 homes and agricultural structures in as-Sir village have been demolished in three phases
LONDON: Israeli police used sound and smoke grenades against villagers in the Negev desert while authorities demolished dozens of Palestinian homes amid protests.
Israeli authorities demolished 40 homes in as-Sir, one of the unrecognized villages in the Negev desert, south of Israel, where about 1,500 Arab citizens of Israel live.
Israeli police reportedly fired sound and smoke grenades at residents protesting demolitions as owners responded to the arrival of bulldozers, leading to clashes with locals, according to Wafa news agency.
Israeli authorities have notified about 50 families of demolition orders for their homes after issuing another 30 notifications last week, leaving many residents of as-Sir homeless or facing displacement.
Residents say that Israeli authorities are providing no alternatives and continue demolitions and tree uprooting to prevent their return to the area, the Wafa added.
In recent months, more than 60 homes and agricultural structures in as-Sir village have been demolished in three phases. An Israeli court ruling has ordered the evacuation of the entire village, which would lead to the demolition of more than 200 additional homes in the coming weeks.
The Israeli government identifies about 40 villages in the Negev as 鈥渦nrecognized,鈥� claiming that roughly 55,000 Bedouins cannot prove land ownership. Arab citizens make up about 1.6 million people in Israel, representing 20 percent of the population.