Israeli authorities demolish about 50 Palestinian shops on the outskirts of al-Eizariya, in the occupied West Bank, ahead of a road project described by critics as linked to nearby Israeli settlements. According to reports, the shops were constructed without the required permits, and Israeli officials say the demolitions are necessary to clear land for a road intended to serve Palestinian communities.
Palestinian officials and anti-settlement advocates dispute Israel’s stated purpose. They say the road is part of a broader plan to restrict Palestinian movement in the area, including by diverting Palestinian traffic away from a new highway that serves settlements. The road project is discussed in relation to the E1 area, a strategic zone southeast of Jerusalem that Israel is developing, which Palestinians say would undermine prospects for a future Palestinian state.
Some shop owners received evacuation notices shortly before the demolitions. Attorneys appealed, according to one account. The reports describe the demolitions as taking place over multiple days, with bulldozers clearing storefronts to make way for construction.
