Israeli forces demolish five West Bank buildings and displace over 100 Palestinians

Israeli forces entered Biddu, northwest of Jerusalem, in the early morning and demolished five Palestinian residential buildings. The action displaced more than 100 people. It matters because families lost homes suddenly, while local officials described the operation as part of a wider escalation around Jerusalem.

Residents said soldiers used stun grenades and tear gas and prevented homeowners from retrieving belongings. Ahmad Abu Eid said the properties belonged to him, his sons and his daughter. The buildings housed 12 apartments, and one complex contained nine Palestinian families. Soldiers cited missing building permits and the homes’ location in Area C.

The families lost access to furniture, clothes and other personal property. Two buildings reportedly lacked judicial demolition orders despite legal challenges. Palestinian officials called for compensation, alternative housing and support, while demolition activity around Jerusalem continued to rise during 2026.

The operation affected several overlapping groups and measurements. Israeli forces demolished five residential buildings in Biddu and forced residents from 12 apartments to leave. Together, those evictions displaced more than 100 Palestinians. These figures show the human scale of what might otherwise sound like a property dispute.

Salem Abu Eid, a Biddu municipal council member, said the demolitions affected a residential complex housing nine Palestinian families. The article does not state that every one of the 12 apartments belonged to that complex, so the nine-family figure should be treated as a separate detail about the affected homes. Soldiers gave residents little time to evacuate.

The immediate result was the loss of housing and personal possessions. Families could not retrieve furniture, clothing and other belongings. The Jerusalem Governorate office later recorded hundreds of demolition and land-clearing operations in the wider area, indicating that the Biddu action occurred amid a broader increase.

Area C is one of three zones created in the West Bank under the 1995 Oslo agreement. Unlike Area A and Area B, it remains under Israeli administrative and security control. That arrangement matters because Israeli authorities regulate construction and decide whether Palestinian buildings receive permits there.

The five demolished buildings in Biddu were located in Area C. Israeli soldiers cited the absence of building permits as the reason for the operation. Palestinian officials and residents said permits are almost never granted to Palestinians, making legal construction extremely difficult. The article also says authorities sometimes cite proximity to the separation wall.

This creates a continuing risk for Palestinian homes and other structures in Area C. A building can be occupied by families yet still face demolition if authorities say it lacks authorization. The Jerusalem Governorate office reported rising demolitions and land-clearing operations around Jerusalem during the first ten months of 2026.

Israeli forces said the homes could be demolished because they had no building permits. The buildings stood in Area C, where Israeli authorities retain administrative and security control. In the article, the permit system is therefore the stated legal mechanism behind the demolitions.

Palestinians challenge that explanation by pointing to the permit process itself. The article says Palestinians are almost never granted the permits required to build legally, particularly in Area C. Salem Abu Eid also said authorities had issued stop-construction notices for more than 20 homes in Biddu. Homeowners filed objections with the Israeli Civil Administration, and lawyers were handling several cases.

The dispute leaves families vulnerable even when they challenge the decisions. Two demolished homes were reportedly not subject to judicial demolition orders, according to Abu Eid. The issue remains part of a broader pattern: the Jerusalem Governorate office documented 471 demolition and land-levelling operations between January and the end of October 2026.

The demolitions immediately removed housing from more than 100 people. Soldiers forced residents of 12 apartments outside before destroying the buildings. Residents said the operation began without warning and that they received insufficient time to evacuate. This turned a building decision into an abrupt displacement crisis for several Palestinian families.

According to residents, soldiers fired stun grenades and tear gas at homeowners. They also prevented families from removing the contents of their homes. As a result, people lost access to furniture, clothes and personal belongings. The article does not say that every family left Biddu permanently, but it records that they could no longer remain in the demolished homes.

The PA’s Jerusalem Governorate office warned about families deprived of their homes. Salem Abu Eid urged official authorities to compensate them and help provide alternative housing or build new homes, even elsewhere. The article gives no indication that such replacement housing had yet been provided.

The Oslo agreement of 1995 divided the West Bank into three administrative areas. Area A received Palestinian Authority administrative and security control. Area B received Palestinian administrative control but Israeli security control. Area C remained under Israeli administrative and security control.

That division matters in Biddu because the demolished homes were in Area C. Israeli authorities therefore controlled the building-permit system cited as the reason for demolition. Residents and local officials disputed the process, saying Palestinians are almost never granted the permits required to build legally. Some homeowners had also filed objections and legal challenges.

The arrangement directly shaped the families’ situation. Israeli forces could enforce demolition decisions in the area, while Palestinian institutions could criticize the action and seek support for displaced families. The Jerusalem Governorate office called the demolitions a dangerous escalation around Jerusalem and reported 471 demolition and land-levelling operations by the end of October 2026.

Under the arrangement described here, military occupation affects who can regulate land and construction. Area C remains under Israeli administrative and security control, so Israeli authorities manage building permits and enforcement there. This power can determine whether Palestinian homes are recognized as legal, threatened with demolition or destroyed.

In Biddu, Israeli forces said five buildings lacked permits. Residents said soldiers removed them without warning, used stun grenades and tear gas, and blocked access to belongings. Some homeowners had challenged the decisions, and Salem Abu Eid said two demolished homes lacked judicial demolition orders. These details show how administrative rules and military enforcement affected families.

International law provides a standard for judging such actions, but the article does not detail the specific legal rules involved. The PA’s Jerusalem Governorate office called the demolitions and displacement a violation of international law. It also warned that repeated demolitions could undermine Palestinian presence around Jerusalem, while calling for support and alternative housing.