Israeli armored bulldozers destroy roads, utilities across two cities in the occupied West Bank

09/27/2024 / By Richard Brown

Israeli military bulldozers caused unprecedented destruction in two cities in the occupied Palestinian West Bank, tearing up roads and sewage systems and damaging local businesses.

The rampant destruction began in late August in the major West Bank cities of Tulkarm and Jenin. The scope of the destruction has left residents reeling, with many expressing that they had never before witnessed such a devastating level of assault on their cities’ infrastructure.

The New York Times reported that the Israeli military sent in armored bulldozers that “tore up mile after mile” of the streets and alleys of Jenin and Tulkarm, causing damage to sewage lines right under the affected roads. Residents described how the destruction of key services has left them without basic utilities like water and electricity.

This wave of violence has been documented through videos filmed by residents, showing bulldozers not only destroying vital infrastructure but also attacking businesses, schools and even recreational spaces. Emergency responders were reportedly blocked by the Israeli Defense Forces from reaching injured civilians and transporting them to hospitals, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis.

Jenin Mayor Nidal Obeidi reports that around 70 percent of the city’s roads have been damaged or completely destroyed. Jenin Governorate Gov. Kamal Abu al-Rub shared his disbelief at the sheer scale of the destruction.

“We watched their bulldozers tear up streets, demolish businesses, pharmacies, schools. They even bulldozed the town soccer field and a tree in the middle of a road. What was the point of all of this?” he asked. His sentiment echoed the confusion and frustration of many residents, who have struggled to comprehend the need for such widespread destruction.

While Tulkarm and Jenin have long been centers of resistance to Israeli occupation, residents who spoke to the New York Times said the recent damage to roads and infrastructure is unlike anything they have experienced in previous military raids.

Jenin has a history of being targeted by Israeli forces, but even those accustomed to occupation violence say the scale of this assault is unprecedented. Roads were obliterated, water and sewage systems rendered useless, and residents were left without access to essential services.

Israeli military shifting focus away from Gaza and into the West Bank

More troubling for many is the shift in Israeli military tactics, which have increasingly included airstrikes in the West Bank – a strategy typically associated with the conflict in Gaza.

Shawan Jabarin, director of the West Bank-based human rights group Al-Haq, said that this escalation is part of a broader effort to create an atmosphere of fear.

“They are imposing conditions, materially and psychologically, that make people feel: Gaza is coming to you,” Jabarin explained.

He warned that many Palestinians across the West Bank now feel that a larger plan is unfolding – one designed to forcefully displace them through destruction and violence. “There is a feeling among Palestinians across the West Bank that what is coming is very bad – that it will be a plan to kill and expel us.”

In Tulkarm, residents captured footage of water gushing down the streets after bulldozers destroyed a major water main. Muhanad Matar, head of general relations for Tulkarm’s municipal authorities, told the New York Times that more than 90 percent of water and sewage lines had been destroyed during the recent Israeli invasions. Without functioning utilities, the city is facing a severe public health crisis.

The destruction has also affected communication systems. Entire sections of both cities have lost internet access, electricity and phone lines, further isolating residents from the outside world. Around 80 percent of Jenin’s population has no running water.

The frequency and intensity of the raids have made it nearly impossible for municipal workers to repair the damage, as new infrastructure is destroyed at a faster pace than it can be fixed. Matar said the “unending string of raids” has created a situation where rebuilding is futile.

The raids on Tulkarm and Jenin represent a sharp escalation in Israeli military tactics in the West Bank, leaving communities devastated and uncertain about their future. For many Palestinians, the question now is not only how to rebuild but also whether they will ever feel secure again in their homes.

Watch this report of the IDF indiscriminately causing widespread destruction to Tulkarm.

This video is from the AllTheWorldsAStage channel on Brighteon.com.