In a dramatic escalation of its three-month-long counter-terrorism campaign in northern Samaria, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began demolishing approximately 90 illegal structures in the Nur Shams and Tulkarem refugee camps, areas long plagued by terrorist infrastructure and incitement. The move comes amid mounting security concerns and intelligence indicating these camps are being used as operational bases by terror cells.

According to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), 15 structures were slated for demolition on Tuesday alone, with residents given approximately five hours to evacuate. This directly contradicts Palestinian media claims that residents were provided only a two-hour window. The demolitions are part of a broader Israeli effort to dismantle terrorist safe havens in the West Bank, particularly in areas where the Palestinian Authority has little to no operational control.

Palestinian sources estimate that up to 25,000 individuals have already been displaced from the two refugee camps since the beginning of the IDF’s anti-terror operation. Israeli officials maintain that many of the buildings being demolished were either uninhabited or used as terrorist staging grounds.

Palestinians report that the #IDF this morning gave residents of the Nur Shams refugee camp in #Tulkarm a two-hour period to evacuate their belongings before the demolition of the structures in the camp begins. pic.twitter.com/bbTEqjEHvm

— KAH (@jewishgaza) May 6, 2025

Meanwhile, in southern Judea, Israeli military bulldozers carried out another wave of demolitions—this time targeting illegal Bedouin encampments in Khalet Al-Dab, south of Bethlehem. The area, classified as a restricted military firing zone, had seen the unlawful construction of tents, animal enclosures, and rudimentary infrastructure without permits or any planning coordination.

The Palestinian Authority, quick to pounce on the situation for political gain, framed the demolition as an “aggression” against Palestinians, despite having offered no land, support, or infrastructure to the Bedouin families involved. Ironically, the same PA officials accusing Israel of human rights violations have a long history of neglecting the Bedouin population, frequently denying building permits and zoning requests themselves.

In contrast, Israel has actively sought to integrate Bedouin communities into society, offering real, long-term solutions. A prime example is the establishment of Rahat, Israel’s first planned Bedouin city. Built with full infrastructure and services, Rahat has provided permanent housing, schools, and medical centers—giving Bedouin families the opportunity to transition from a transient, underserved existence into a future of stability and opportunity.

This is in Rahat, a Bedouin city inside of Israel. They are celebrating the rescue efforts by Jewish Israeli soldiers who risked their lives to free Farham Qadi from his captivity by Hamas. Explain to me again how Israel is an apartheid state? pic.twitter.com/tbK5ktDIPf

— David M Friedman (@DavidM_Friedman) August 27, 2024

The current wave of demolitions highlights a growing dichotomy: Israel’s rule of law versus the Palestinian Authority’s political theater. While the IDF works to ensure that territory is not exploited by terror networks or unauthorized squatting in restricted zones, the PA continues to weaponize every action for international condemnation—conveniently ignoring its own systemic failures.

Key Points:

• Around 90 homes targeted for demolition in Tulkarem camps; 15 razed Tuesday.
• COGAT confirms structures were illegal and used for terrorist activity.
• PA exploits the situation to smear Israel, but offers no assistance or alternatives to displaced Bedouin.
• IDF also clears illegal Bedouin encampments in Judea located within a military firing zone.
• Israel offers long-term solutions to Bedouin integration, unlike the PA which neglects their needs.