Israel began razing Palestinian buildings built illegally inside a nature reserve on Thursday.
Nearby residents hailed the move as “historic” saying the illegal Palestinian construction has been unchecked in the Judean Desert Nature Reserve in the Gush Etzion region.
“For years, the reserve has been systematically destroyed by illegal construction. This construction harms nature and creates a stranglehold around nearby Jewish communities,” Yaron Rosenthal, head of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, told The Press Service of Israel. “Today, for the first time since the Oslo Accords, we are witnessing the enforcement of law in this regard. This is a crucial step towards restoring the desert and preserving the Judean Desert—a Jewish desert.”
The reserve is located in Area B, where the Palestinian Authority has administrative jurisdiction while Israel is responsible for security. However, under the terms of the 1998 Wye River Memorandum, the Palestinians agreed not to build in the 41,000-acre reserve.