Israel seizes UN-provided tents to displaced jiftlik residents

The Israeli authorities seized Monday tents provided by the United Nations to shelter families whose homes the army demolished last week, a press release said.The release by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the occupied Palestinian territories, OCHA, said the tents were provided as an emergency response to the Bani Manieh families from Jiftlik, in the Jericho district, after the Israeli army demolished all their residential and livelihood structures on Wednesday.The Israeli army destroyed 13 structures belonging to three families of the Bani Manieh community displacing 26 people, including 15 children.The army claimed the area was a military training zone.Israel is trying to empty the Jordan Valley of its Palestinian Arab citizens while it attempts to keep control over that area, which makes up 29 percent of the West Bank, in any future peace deal with the Palestinians.The Palestinians refuse to allow any Israeli presence in the Jordan Valley and say this land is important for their economy and statehood.