Israeli army demolishes houses in West Bank city

HEBRON, West Bank -- The Israeli army, citing a lack of building permits, demolished nine houses belonging to Palestinians in the West Bank city of Hebron on Sunday, leaving dozens homeless.

In another development, dozens of Palestinian inmates rioted at an Israeli army prison in the southern desert, and soldiers used tear gas and stun grenades to subdue them, the army said. There was no immediate word on casualties.

In Hebron, Palestinian families hurriedly dragged refrigerators and sofas out of the houses before Israeli bulldozers, guarded by soldiers, began knocking down the walls. The families said they had received notices months ago that the houses would be demolished, but had not known when the work would begin.

A total of 22 homes were to be destroyed Sunday, all because they allegedly were built without permits, said Talia Somech, a spokeswoman for the army's Civil Administration. Some already houses had been completed and others were still under construction, Palestinians in the area said.

Israel has been tearing down dozens of Palestinian homes in recent months -- houses allegedly built without permits as well as others belonging to militants involved in violence against Israel.

Yakub Sultan was building one of the houses for his son, who is to be married soon.

'Destroying our dreams'

"The Israeli government and (Prime Minister) Ariel Sharon are destroying all our dreams by demolishing houses," Sultan said as the bulldozers knocked down concrete walls.

Palestinian Cabinet Minister Saeb Erekat said the demolitions were part of Sharon's "policy of expanding settlements and putting obstacles in the way of future peace."

Palestinians say Israel's stringent permit policy can make it virtually impossible to build new houses.

The houses demolished Sunday were not far from two recent attacks on Israelis. In one of them, on Nov. 15, a total of 12 security force members were killed. A Jewish settler was killed in the other one last month.

In the prison uprising, inmates at the Ketziot prison were demanding that as many as 80 sick detainees receive better medical treatment, including hospitalization, said Issa Karaka, who heads the Prisoner's Club, a Palestinian group that monitors prisoners. The inmates burned tents and threw shoes and other items at guards, he said.

Most of the 1,100 prisoners were being held under "administrative detention," which allows Israel to hold them indefinitely without charging them with any crime.

The Israeli military said prisoners tried to destroy an antenna that interferes with cellular phone reception. Cellular phones are banned at the prison. The military said seven soldiers were lightly injured by rocks.

The desert prison held a large number of inmates during the first Palestinian uprising from 1987-93 and was known for its rough living conditions, with many prisoners living and sleeping in tents. It was reopened last year to hold Palestinians suspected of involvement in renewed violence against Israel.

Meanwhile, Sharon prepared to meet defeated Labor Party leader Amram Mitzna on Monday, the first time since Sharon's Likud Party handily won an election last week.

Sharon has said he wants to bring Labor into his government, but Mitzna rejected that unless Sharon accepts Labor's dovish policy toward the Palestinians by resuming peace talks and preparing for unilateral withdrawal from Gaza.

Mitzna told Israeli television Sunday that Sharon's statements so far show "there is nothing in common between the" two parties.

Election results gave Sharon the option of a majority coalition government with hawkish and Orthodox Jewish parties, without Labor.