Israeli demolitions force Palestinians to live in caves
The demolitions carried out by Israel since 2005 in the small village of Khirbet Tana, near Nablus, have forced hundreds of Palestinians to live in caves, lacking basic necessities.
NABLUS, West Bank — On the eastern slopes of the town of Beit Furik near Nablus in the northern West Bank, Mohsen Aref, 43, lives in an ancient cave in the Khirbet Tana village.
Aref and his seven family members were forced to live a primitive life in a cave of two rooms, lacking basic necessities such as electricity and water services, ventilation and even sunlight.
“I live in a two-room cave of nearly 110 square meters. My family and I use one of these rooms, and the other is for my sheep, goats and birds. The Israeli authorities demolished my house in Khirbet Tana twice in 2007 and again in 2008 under the pretext of building them without a permit. Israeli bulldozers also dredged my sheep pen without any prior notice or warning. Out of my 230 sheep, 80 were killed. Israel wanted to destroy my only source of income,” Aref told Al-Monitor.
After the second time his house was destroyed, Aref decided not to rebuild, fearing another demolition. Instead, he decided to live in a cave with his family.
