Israeli forces issued an order to halt the construction of five Palestinian homes in the village of Nahalin, situated west of Bethlehem in the West Bank on Wednesday, Wafa news agency reported quoting local officials.

Hani Fnoon, the Deputy Mayor of Nahalin, said Israeli forces had handed the orders to five homes under construction claiming they were illegal without an Israeli-issued permit.

Residents of the village have faced aggravating measures imposed by the Israeli government including the seizure of land, refusing to issue construction permits, and continuous house-to-house raid and arrest campaigns, Fnoon said.

The Israeli government uses several policies that prevent Palestinians from the construction and development of their land. According to the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem, legal terms such as “planning and building laws”, “urban building plans (UBPs)”, “planning proceedings” and “illegal construction” are used to to thwart Palestinians and justify demolitions as part of Israel’s political agenda to monopolize the use of West Bank resources.