Israeli authorities demolish three houses near al-khalil

Israeli bulldozers on Thursday destroyed three Palestinian houses in the town of Yata, some eight kilometers southeast of Al-Khalil (Hebron), under the pretext they were built without permits.

Palestinian sources said the Israeli forces sealed off the town since the early hours of the day and banned local residents from approaching the area where the three destroyed houses are located.

The sources added that the owners the three houses have become homeless and are awaiting relief agencies to furnish them with tents and necessary foodstuffs.

Kuwaiti news agency "KUNA" reports that the Palestinians were seen rushing to pitch tents over the debris of the houses to re-assert their ownership of the land.

Yata is located in area b, jointly-administered by the Isarelis and the Palestinian authority, which has a police station there.

The Isareli authorities require that Palestinians residing in the rural areas should obtain a permit from the military administration prior to the construction of a house.

The Palestinians say that the Israeli authorities refuse to grant them construction permits, forcing them to build houses without a prior permission from Israel.

The Israeli forces have destroyed nearly 150 homes in the occupied lands, including Al-Quds (Jerusalem) since the beginning of this year.

Meanwhile, Palestinian demonstrators clashed on Thursday with the Isreali forces in the Al-Shoyoukh area in east Al-Khalil.

Palestinian sources said that the demonstrators threw stones at the Israeli forces and obstructed the movement of heavy machinery and buldozers that were preparing the land for the construction of new settlements.