Israeli army demolishes Irza mosque for third time in 7 months

The Israeli army Tuesday demolished for the third time in 7 months a mosque in Khirbet Irza, a locale in the northern Jordan Valley in the West Bank, said a local official. Aref Daraghmeh, head of Al-Maleh village council said that Israeli vehicles and officers from the Israeli Civil Administration and a bulldozer invaded and demolished the mosque, which does not exceed an area of 60 square meters, under the pretext of “building in a military area where construction is prohibited.” He indicated the Israeli ongoing settlements expansion in the area, at a time when Palestinians are prohibited from living there even in tents. The residents insist on rebuilding on their land, Daraghmeh added, stressing that several Israeli courts previously issued numerous injunctions to prevent demolishing of Palestinian properties, but the Israeli army ignored them.