Description

UPDATE

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israeli forces vacated the Bethlehem village of Arab al-Rashayida on Tuesday after conducting military drills in the area for several hours, locals said.

Fawaz al-Rashayida, head of the local village council, told Ma'an that 5,000 heavily armed Israeli soldiers arrived in the village at dawn on Tuesday.

Locals are used to Israeli forces performing drills on the outskirts of Arab al-Rashayida, but this is the first time they have raided homes and local institutions in the village, Fawaz al-Rashayida said.

The drills, which took place in between residential homes, caused damage to the village's water grid, he added.

Israeli forces also issued demolition orders for six properties belonging to Ali Awda Mohammad Rashayid.

The population of Arab al-Rashayida is around 2,000 and the majority of residents live in cement houses, while others live in tents and dwellings made of steel and tin.

On Monday afternoon, Israeli forces deployed in a nature reserve east of Arab al-Rashayida known locally as al-Muteirda, displacing nearby families and declaring it a "closed military zone."

During military drills, Israeli forces can enter Palestinian homes and involve Palestinian civilians in their operations without warning them that the raids are mere practice.

In November, Israeli human rights group Yesh Din said Israeli troops had been using a Muslim cemetery in Hebron as a location for military drills and practice.

Approximately 18 percent of the West Bank has been designated as a closed military zone for training, or "firing zone," which is roughly the same amount of the West Bank under full Palestinian Authority control.

Over 5,000 Palestinians reside in the firing zones in 38 communities.
____________

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Hundreds of heavily armed Israeli soldiers stormed Rashayda village south of Bethlehem early on Tuesday morning and started a wide-scale military drill, a day after occupying a nearby nature reserve and displacing families there.

Chairman of the village council Fawaz al-Rashayda told Ma'an that Israeli troops arrived in groups and started "provocative activities" and military drills between the houses while large military vehicles deployed around the village Tuesday morning.

Israeli forces subsequently erected checkpoints and notified locals that they would be unable to leave their houses after 10 a.m.

The population of Rashayda village is around 2,000. The majority of residents live in cement houses, while others live in tents and dwellings made of steel and tin.

On Monday afternoon, Israeli forces deployed in a nature reserve east of Rashayda village known locally as al-Muteirda, displacing nearby families and declaring it a "closed military zone."

Israeli forces had previously used the area until they left in 2000 as part of the Oslo Accords. It had since been turned into a nature reserve by Palestinian authorities.

Fawaz Rashayda told Ma'an yesterday that Israeli forces erected military tents and deployed tanks and heavy artillery on the 25-acre natural reserve and subsequently commenced military drills in the area.

The troops warned neighboring semi-nomadic Palestinian residents that they should evacuate the area before 5 in the afternoon, otherwise they would be evacuated "forcibly."

Rashayda highlighted that about 80 families live in tents near the reserve with herds of sheep and goats.

Dozens of school pupils will not be able to access their schools in the coming days, the mayor warned at that time.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said she was aware of a training exercise but no official request was made for residents to leave.

The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.