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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 “unrecognized,” 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.

LONDON: King Abdullah II expressed Jordan’s complete solidarity with Qatar during official talks with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who visited Amman on Wednesday.

King Abdullah said that Jordan supports “all measures taken to preserve (Qatar’s) sovereignty and territorial integrity in response to the treacherous Israeli attack,” according to Qatar News Agency.

He praised the efforts of the Qatari leadership to establish peace and stability, globally and regionally, as both sides discussed ways to strengthen ties and cooperation in the economic and investment sectors, in addition to developments in the region.

Sheik Tamim said that Qatar “will take all necessary measures to protect its security and preserve its sovereignty in the face of this aggression,” in reference to the Israeli airstrikes that targeted a Hamas delegation in Doha last week.

The two leaders emphasized the importance of supporting the Palestinian people in achieving their legitimate national rights and highlighted the need for political solutions to the crises facing the region to maintain its security and stability, the QNA added.

The talks at the Basman Palace in Amman were attended by senior ministers and officials from Jordan and Qatar. Before the discussions began, King Abdullah and Sheikh Tamim held a separate meeting, during which they exchanged views and opinions on various issues.

King Abdullah awarded Sheikh Tamim the Order of Al-Hussein bin Ali, which is the highest award Jordan offers to heads of state, and hosted a luncheon banquet in his honor.