Israeli forces reportedly turned a Palestinian home into a military outpost in the West Bank on Sunday, prompting widespread outrage from both Palestinian officials and human rights organizations.
Israeli forces stormed and occupied a home located in Beit Ummar near Hebron early Sunday morning, according to eyewitness reports. Residents were forcibly removed before soldiers fortified the structure with sandbags, surveillance equipment and sniper positions.
“They turned our family home into a base of operations,” claimed Ahmed al-Salaymeh, whose relatives resided there. “We were ordered out without explanation or explanation – this is an act of aggression against us!”
Local activists claim this isn’t the first time Israeli forces have commandeered residential homes in the West Bank for military use, often near areas prone to frequent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli settlers or troops. Converted homes can often be found being used as watchtowers monitoring surrounding neighborhoods or protecting settlement roads and outposts nearby.
The Palestinian Authority strongly denounced Israel for breaking international law with this move. They accused it of intensifying its policy of collective punishment while deepening military occupation.
“This unlawful practice violates the Fourth Geneva Convention, which forbids an occupying power from using civilian property for military purposes,” according to a spokesperson from PA’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It forms part of an effort by Israel and PA officials to intimidate Palestinian civilians and entrench its occupation.
Israeli military officials did not immediately comment on this incident. In previous cases, however, their actions have been justified on grounds of “security necessity,” particularly in areas deemed highly likely for attacks or where there has been significant instability.
Human rights groups such as B’Tselem and Amnesty International have documented similar incidents and voiced alarm about the impact such practices have had on Palestinian families and communities. Such measures contribute to forced displacement as well as increasing chances for confrontations, warn these rights organizations.
Tense situations continue to pervade the West Bank, with frequent raids, settler violence, and rising resistance from Palestinian youth. Converting homes into military posts adds another level of instability to an already volatile environment.