Al‑Khader is a Palestinian town west and south of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, just outside Bethlehem’s urban core. It is part of the Bethlehem governorate and contains historic landmarks, including the 15th‑century Al‑Hamadiyya Mosque.

Israeli forces have repeatedly demolished Palestinian homes in Al‑Khader, citing the lack of Israeli-issued building permits. Palestinians in Area C face systemic barriers to obtaining building permits. Israeli planning restrictions make legal construction nearly impossible, and unpermitted structures are frequently demolished. Human rights groups view these policies as part of a broader effort to dispossess Palestinians and limit the growth of their communities.

Settlement Pressure:

While no new illegal outposts are directly in Al‑Khader, the town is surrounded by Israeli settlements such as Efrat, Neve Daniel, Shdema, and Har Homa, which exert pressure on Palestinian land, movement, and development. Palestinian authorities say the demolitions are part of a systematic Israeli policy to displace residents and expand settlements.

Timeline of the destruction:

On July 2025, Israeli forces issued demolition orders for seven homes in al‑Khader, saying they lacked building permits; residents reported this as part of systematic displacement policy near settlement blocs like Gush Etzion. The Israeli forces stormed the Umm Rukba area in the town of Al-Khader, south of Bethlehem, and handed demolition notices. The area is surrounded by Israeli settlements such as Efrat and Elazar and lies within the so-called Gush Etzion settlement bloc.

On September 3, 2025, Israeli army bulldozers carried out large-scale demolition operations of Palestinian homes in Jabal Abu Soud, in the town of Al-Khader, south of Bethlehem.

In November 2025, a large unfinished house (about 500 sqm) in al‑Khader was demolished by Israeli forces under similar grounds (no permit) and was intended to house several families.

On 25 December 2025, Israeli occupation forces demolished an inhabited two‑storey house in the Umm Rukba area of al‑Khader, south of Bethlehem. The home belonged to Abdullah Saleh Abdul‑Salam Salah and each floor measured about 150 m². The army entered with bulldozers, sealed off the area and prevented residents from approaching prior to demolition.

On January 7, 2026, Israeli forces delivered a demolition notice for a two-storey house west of the town, with each floor measuring approximately 180 square meters, under the pretext of building without a permit. The occupation courts rejected the appeal file seeking to halt the demolition order, without setting a date for its execution. The demolition threat looms over 12 houses, including inhabited ones and others under construction, in addition to agricultural rooms and water wells. Three houses were recently demolished, each consisting of three floors, including an inhabited house.

On January 28, 2026 — Two homes demolished

Israeli forces demolished two Palestinian homes in al‑Khader belonging to brothers Osama and Raed Salah. The area was sealed off, and residents were prevented from approaching as bulldozers carried out the demolitions under the pretext of lack of permits.

ON February 17–18, 2026 — Building demolition

Israeli occupation forces raided al‑Khader and demolished a residential building in the Ard al‑Deir area (two floors, four apartments) belonging to Iyad and Alaa Omar Issa “Abu Ghlayyon,” again justified by lack of Israeli permits. Tear Gas was used and movement restricted.