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by Deppen Webber

Following the violent demolitions in Qalqiliya yesterday, and in Beit Hanina and Silwan Sunday, Israel continued its displacement of Palestinians throughout the West Bank today in occupied East Jerusalem.

On the day Israel announced a plan to forcibly remove 2,300 Palestinians from their homes, a demolition team arrived in al-Khalayleh, a small village in East Jerusalem. Two homes, an animal barracks, and part of a hardware store were flattened within hours. Palestinians watched as their homes were lost leaving 6 children and several adults homeless. Armed military and police guarded the area as bulldozers destroyed the structures.

One woman was visibly crying during the demolition of the second home. When asked if the home was hers, she answered "no, my uncle's."

The ethnic cleansing of non-Jews from Palestine began in 1948 during the creation of the State of Israel. Sadly it continues today through housing demolitions, apartheid laws, and the refusal of Israel to observe the Palestinian right of return as guaranteed by UN Resolution 194 Article 11.

(Deppen Webber reports from occupied Palestine. He works closely with International Solidarity Movement, Free Palestine Movement and teaches English in Al-Khalil. Follow him on twitter at @WahedRejol.)