Israeli occupation authorities on Tuesday demolished three Palestinian houses in al-Walaja village, west of Bethlehem.

Deputy mayor of al-Walaja, Khader al-‘Araj, said that Israeli forces escorted a bulldozer to the area of Ein Jwaizah, also written as Ein Jweizeh, in the northeastern part of the village, where the heavy machinery tore down a three houses, under the pretection of being built without a license.

The demolished houses, each of which occupied an area of some 80 square meters, belonged to three members of the Abu al-Tin family, including two brothers.

This area of al-Walaja has been targeted by Israel for several years in an attempt to empty it of its Palestinian residents in order to build illegal settlements on its land. Several Palestinian-owned homes have been demolished in the village under the pretext of building without a permit, which is impossible to get from the Israeli occupation authorities.