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Illustrative scene. File. Published by Maan News
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BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- Israeli forces on Wednesday issued stop-work orders to five homes belonging to Palestinian families in the southern occupied West Bank district of Bethlehem, according to official Palestinian Authority (PA)-owned Wafa news agency.

Wafa reported that Israeli forces issued the stop-work orders to five under-construction homes in the Nahalin village, under the pretext that they were being built without difficult-to-obtain Israeli-issued construction permits.

The report quoted the Deputy Mayor of Nahalin, Hani Funoon, as saying that Israeli authorities have “escalated their measures against Palestinians in the town.”

“The measures include the seizure of land and halt on construction orders, in addition to continued house-to-house raid and arrest campaigns,” Wafa said.

Israel almost never gives Palestinians permission to build in land classified as Area C -- the more than 60 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli civilian and security control -- leaving residents no choice but to build their homes without permits.

Meanwhile, Israeli authorities have advanced construction plans for illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank at an alarming rate.