The Israeli government informed the Supreme Court on Sunday, 22 July 22 that Defense Minister Ehud Barak decided to demolish eight Palestinian villages south of Hebron. The state explained that these lands are necessary for military training.

Khirbet Jinba, one of the eight Palestinian villages to be demolished by Israel (Photo: Applied Research Institute, Jerusalem)

According to a report published in Haaretz newspaper the Minister of Defense intends to demolish the villages of Majaz, Tabban, Sfaye, Fah'it, Halawa, Al Marqaz, Jinba and Haruba. The villages are home to approximately 1,500 residents.

Despite evidence that the villages’ exist since 1830, the Israeli army and civil administration claim that the Palestinians living there are trespassing in “Fire Zone 918.”

The Ministry of Defense claims that residents of the demolished villages should be relocated to the town of Yatta. The Ministry of Defense also claims that according to information provided by three anonymous collaborators, most of the residents in the villages to be demolished have homes in Yatta.

According to the statement to the Supreme Court, the army will allow residents to cultivate their land and graze their livestock when when there are no military trainings on weekends and jewish holidays. Palestinians will be allowed to proceed with their agricultural work in two additional periods during the year, each one a month long.

Defense Minister Barak agreed to avoid the eviction of four villages located in the northern part of the area.