Israeli military forces distributed demolition notices on Sunday along the bypass road east of Jenin city in the northern West Bank. The move targets Palestinian structures in an area that has seen widespread demolitions, road closures, and increased settlement activity in recent months.
The Al-Badour Human Rights Organization confirmed the distribution of these notices, stating they threaten the livelihood stability of affected citizens and raise fears of property loss amid ongoing Israeli measures against Palestinian establishments. As of now, there are no verified details regarding the exact number of notices issued, the specific nature of the targeted structures, or the deadlines set for owners before demolition execution.
These new notices follow a series of demolitions targeting dozens of commercial and agricultural sites along the same route during August and September. On August 12, troops demolished commercial structures on the road stretching from the Marj Ibn Amer roundabout toward Aba village and the Hadad roundabout east of Jenin. This action followed warnings issued approximately ten days prior to around 40 shops and commercial establishments, according to Tariq Ighbarieh, the settlement file official in Jenin governorate.
At that time, access roads to the area were closed, hindering citizen movement and access to the targeted sites. Field reports indicated that the affected establishments included industrial and commercial shops, some of which had been operating for over 15 years.
On September 9, forces demolished 12 plastic houses and eight commercial warehouses used for wood storage near the entrance of Arana town northeast of Jenin. They also destroyed ten agricultural rooms and fences belonging to two farms, while verbally warning owners of other structures about impending demolitions. Mahmoud Al-Saadi, head of the Arana Rural Council, stated that the demolitions affected most establishments along the bypass road, causing significant financial and living losses to their owners.
The impact extends beyond structural loss. Palestinians in villages surrounding Jenin rely on these shops, warehouses, plastic houses, and agricultural rooms for their income sources. Their removal threatens the ability of residents to continue their economic and agricultural activities.
Concurrently, military restrictions on Palestinian movement have tightened. On September 30, Israeli forces installed iron gates at entrances to nearly ten villages and towns along the eastern bypass road, accompanied by vehicle patrols and searches that obstructed travel. On October 13, troops demolished an uninhabited single-story house belonging to Amjad Abu Ayash in Jalma village and began destroying plastic houses along the bypass road while erecting a gate at the main entrance of Araba town.
On Sunday, forces also closed the entrance to Yaabad town southwest of Jenin, preventing entry and exit under the pretext of paving works for the lane designated for settlers heading to the Dotan checkpoint, according to Ighbarieh.
These actions coincide with accelerated settlement movements in Jenin. The Ganaim settlement east of the city was revived on August 13 after being evacuated in 2005. This occurred alongside the closure of entrances and roads from the Hadad area to the Jalma checkpoint to secure settler movement. Reports suggest that re-establishing previously evacuated settlements, creating new roads and military sites, and imposing strict movement restrictions contribute to isolating eastern villages from Jenin city, threatening residents’ access to their lands and properties.
