Daijiworld Media Network – Tulkarm
Tulkarm, Sep 13: Palestinian businessman Nasser Faratawi is struggling to rebuild his life after Israeli forces occupied his family property in Tulkarm, north of the occupied West Bank, for more than three months, leaving it vandalised and burned.
Faratawi, once the owner of a thriving party-supply shop, now sifts through blackened garlands and a scorched Ramadan lantern amid the ruins. Graffiti, including obscene drawings, covers the walls of his luxury apartments. Furniture has been smashed, Quran pages torn and food left to rot. “They came and destroyed me,” he said. “It’s all seen as destroyable because I am Palestinian.”
The Israeli military seized the building on March 3 during a major operation in nearby Tulkarm refugee camp, forcing the family out with just 90 minutes’ notice. “They used it like a hotel and then set it on fire,” Faratawi recounted, adding that he watched helplessly as his warehouse and shop burned on June 11.
The Israel Defense Forces told the BBC it is “not aware of any arson committed by its troops,” adding that a complaint is under review and that destruction of civilian property violates IDF values.
The incident highlights escalating tensions across the West Bank since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, which triggered the Gaza war. The UN reports more than 900 Palestinians killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces and settlers during this period, alongside more than 60 Israeli deaths in attacks and clashes.
According to the UN’s humanitarian office, Israeli troops frequently occupy Palestinian homes during operations, citing security needs. Between late June and early July, soldiers took over about 267 homes, leaving many ransacked. In Tulkarm, Israeli bulldozers have torn paths through the refugee camp, displacing thousands and demolishing more than 150 houses.
Faratawi estimates his losses at $700,000 and doubts he will receive compensation. The cash-strapped Palestinian Authority, once a source of aid for such damages, is unable to help. With his business destroyed and no income to support his two children studying medicine in Egypt, he appeals for international assistance.
“I’m an ordinary person, a businessman,” Faratawi said. “I love peace. I never had a weapon. I want to live in peace, but they don’t want peace.”