Israel displaces dozens of families for military exercises

Israel\'s army forcibly displaced dozens of Palestinian families in the northern Jordan Valley on Tuesday to make way for a military training exercise. Aref Daraghmeh, chairman of the village council of Wadi Maleh and al-Madareb, told Ma\'an that Israeli forces evacuated dozens of people from the areas of al-Burj and al-Maita in Tubas because of Israeli training drills. Israeli forces closed the Tayasir checkpoint and prevented school children, university students and workers from using the road. On Saturday, Israeli military forces evacuated over 100 people from their homes in the Jordan Valley to make way for military training exercises. Over 44 percent of the Jordan Valley is classified by Israel as a closed military zone or nature reserve. An additional 50 percent of the valley is controlled by Israeli settlements, leaving around six percent for Palestinians, according to figures from Save the Children.