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In Tulkarm, located in the northern occupied West Bank, Nasser Faratawi surveys the ravaged remains of his once-thriving party supply store, holding aloft a blackened garland of silicone flowers and a charred Ramadan lantern.
Above the shop, the walls of his family’s former luxury apartments, spanning three floors, are defaced with graffiti, including crude drawings in a living room and his daughter’s bedroom.
Expensive furnishings have been shattered or tossed from windows, elaborate decorations torn down, every page of a Quran ripped apart, and the air is thick with the stench of decaying food.
“They came and destroyed me,” Faratawi recounts. “It’s all seen as expendable because I live in this city – because I am Palestinian.”
On March 3rd, the Israeli military arrived at the Faratawi property, providing the family with a mere hour and a half to evacuate. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) subsequently commandeered the building during a large-scale operation in the nearby Tulkarm refugee camp.
“They seized it as an army base and occupied it for three and a half months, utilizing it as a hotel, before setting it ablaze,” Faratawi states, still in disbelief.
From a distance, he witnessed a fire erupt in his warehouse and shop on June 11th – a place where locals once brought their vehicles to be decorated for weddings.
“It was devastating to witness my business burning, everything I had worked for over the past 30 years,” Faratawi laments. His neighborhood remained a closed military zone, and he was only permitted to return at the beginning of this month.
When questioned about the condition of the property, the Israeli military informed the BBC that it was “not aware of any arson committed by its troops at the site” and that a complaint regarding the incident “has been submitted and is under review.”
The IDF statement further asserted: “The destruction of civilian property by soldiers is contrary to IDF values. As a rule, incidents that deviate from IDF orders and values will be examined, investigated, and addressed by commanders.” The statement did not address the offensive graffiti.
Since the deadly attacks on Israel led by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which precipitated the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, global attention has largely centered on that region. However, tensions have also escalated significantly in the West Bank, marked by increased Israeli settler violence and military operations that Israel claims are targeting Palestinian militants.
According to the UN, over 900 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by IDF actions and settlers during this period. Simultaneously, more than 60 Israelis have been killed in reported attacks by Palestinians or in armed clashes in the West Bank and Israel.
During major Israeli operations, Palestinian residences are frequently used as temporary military bases and interrogation centers, with the IDF citing security necessities.
“In order to locate and dismantle terror infrastructures at their root, the IDF is sometimes required to operate from within homes in the area for varying periods of time, according to operational needs and field circumstances,” the Israeli army stated.
It maintains that it adheres to international humanitarian law and implements “measures to minimize the impact on civilians as much as possible.”
In the final two weeks of June, during Israel’s war with Iran, the UN’s Humanitarian Office (Ocha) documented Israeli soldiers seizing approximately 267 Palestinian homes for durations ranging from several hours to several days. An initial estimate suggests that over 1,300 individuals were affected, who Ocha reports “in most cases returned to their homes to find their property vandalized.”
Properties were also seized at the beginning of the year in three densely populated, urban refugee camps – Jenin, Nur Shams, and Tulkarm – when the Israeli army moved in, designating them as “terror strongholds.” In total, around 40,000 residents were compelled to evacuate the camps, with approximately 30,000 still unable to return.
From an upper-floor balcony of Faratawi’s home, one can easily view the Tulkarm refugee camp, which resembles a ghost town with its approximately 10,600 displaced residents. Israeli bulldozers have carved new paths through the camp, effectively dividing it into separate zones.
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, estimates that more than 150 houses have been demolished in Tulkarm. Across the West Bank, Ocha reports that between the start of Israel’s Operation Iron Wall in January and July, over 1,400 demolition orders were issued.
Unrwa is currently providing support to refugees residing in private accommodations in and around Tulkarm, having established a temporary health center and schools, and initiated online education programs for students.
Israel’s defense minister has indicated that the military will maintain its presence in the three refugee camps until at least the end of the year.
While Nasser Faratawi has returned to his home, he is uncertain how he will ever be able to renovate it, estimating his total losses at up to $700,000 (£520,000; €600,000). He can file a complaint with Israeli authorities, but past experiences suggest that it is highly improbable he will receive any compensation.
The Palestinian Authority, which governs portions of the West Bank and relies on foreign aid, previously assisted with repairs resulting from Israeli military incursions. However, it is currently facing severe financial constraints and is unable to pay public workers their full salaries.
Without his shop and with his inventory destroyed, Faratawi is without income and fears that he can no longer support his son and daughter, who are studying medicine in Egypt. He is appealing to international organizations for assistance.
“I’m an ordinary person, a businessman,” he says. “I love peace. I never before had a weapon in my house. I had no problem with the Israeli army. I want peace and to live in peace, but they don’t want peace.”
The songwriter said people in the UK and Ireland are ‘equally disgusted by what’s going on in Gaza’.
The US traditionally blocks actions against its close ally Israel at the United Nations.
BBC Verify asked experts, in the UK and elsewhere, if Israel’s actions in Gaza have been proportionate.
The Israeli military says it hit military targets, but the Houthis say only civilian sites were targeted.
Israeli media report that there is concern in Israeli military circles that the highly controversial attack was not successful.
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