Israeli Supreme Court Greenlights Mass Demolition of Civilian Homes in Nur Shams, a Palestinian Refugee Camp in the Occupied West Bank, Relying on Secret Evidence

The Israeli Supreme Court issued a late-night ruling on Christmas eve, 24 December 2025, rejecting a petition filed by Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel on behalf 22 Palestinian residents from the Nur Shams Refugee Camp and surrounding areas in the occupied West Bank, whose homes are slated for demolition.. The petition, filed on 17 December,  challenged the Israeli army order to demolish approximately 25 civilian homes in the camp, residences including particularly vulnerable individuals including persons with disabilities, parents of young children, and elderly people. The decision followed a hearing earlier that day, during which the state presented secret evidence it claimed justified the demolitions.

In its ruling, the Court accepted the military’s claim that the demolitions are justified by “legitimate military necessity,” despite the State’s acknowledgment that the targeted buildings are civilian homes, not used for military purposes, and belong to civilian families unrelated to any military activity. The State argued that the demolitions are intended to facilitate potential future military operations, even though the area has been free of combat activity for over a year and there is no immediate need for them.

The Court also rejected arguments concerning violations of residents’ fundamental rights, and ruled that the 72-hour notice given to families to remove belongings is “sufficient,” despite ongoing prolonged displacement in the camp. Demolition orders will not be implemented before 27 December, with possible case-by-case extensions “subject to security considerations.”

Adalah warns that this order enables a permanent reality of forced displacement, prohibited under international humanitarian law. Adalah Attorney Dr. Suhad Bishara emphasized that the military has stated that residents will not be permitted to rebuild homes in demolished areas, effectively preventing return and emptying at least parts of the e camp. Combined with previous demolitions, nearly half of Nur Shams’ built-up area could be destroyed or damaged, leaving hundreds of families without shelter and without any housing alternatives.

This decision is part of a broader pattern of sweeping home demolition orders in West Bank Palestinian refugee camps, based on secret evidence and or  broad security claims. Since January 2025, the army has displaced approximately 40,000 residents. Adalah has filed four petitions in recent months challenging mass demolitions in Jenin, Tulkarem and Nur Shams refugee camps, all of which the Supreme Court rejected as matters “within military authority.” Human Rights Watch has concluded in a recent report that these actions may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Click here to read the Supreme Court’s decision (Hebrew)

Case Citation: HCJ 51772-12-25, Samer ‘Alyan v. Minister of Defense, et al.