Ramallah- Human Rights and Democracy Media Center- SHAMS, published its monthly documentary report for January 2023, about the Israeli violations against Palestinian establishments, through demolishing, confiscation, or notified with demolishing orders. The Israeli authorities usually target the Palestinian religious, tourism, educational, official, commercial, and agricultural establishments. However, the focus of the targeting is on the residential establishments. SHAMS Center published periodical documenting reports (monthly, semiannually, and annually) about the various types of violations that the Occupying Power (Israel) commits against Palestinians.
The report is developed based on a field documentation methodology through the SHAMS’ team and researchers who worked on documenting the Israeli violations against the Palestinian establishments for the period 1- 31/1/2023 in the various governorates of the West Bank. The collected data is then processed and analyzed to be presented in tables based on a group of comprehensive quantitative and qualitative indicators. During January 2023, the Israeli authorities targeted 149 Palestinian establishments by demolishing, confiscation, or notifications of demolishing orders.
Demolishing that targeted 98 establishments is the major violation documented through the month, including 5 that the owners were obligated to demolish them on their own to avoid being subject to high financial fines or even being arrested. The given justification for the demolishing process is unlicensed building.
As for the notifications, 49 establishments were notified with orders of demolishing or stop construction. The notified establishments included residential units, agricultural establishments, residential barracks, and water wells, including an establishment owned by a woman. In this regard, the Israeli authorities notified a woman named Fatima Awad from Beir Ouna- Beit Jala, with a demolishing order of a residential room under the justification of unlicensed building.
Additionally, the Israeli authorities confiscated a tent used as classroom and a mobile caravan under the justification of unlicensed building.
The first indicator within the report addresses the type of the targeted establishments. The demolished establishments during January included: residential units (32), residential rooms (5), residential tents (6), agricultural rooms (7), water wells/ pools (5), walls (8), agricultural barracks (1), commercial establishments (22), livestock sheds/ barracks (6), mobile caravan (2), stones terraces (2), warehouses (1), and wooden cottage (1).
As for the notified establishments, they included: residential units (34), residential rooms (1), residential barracks (5), water wells/ pools (3), agricultural barracks (3), mobile caravans (1), livestock sheds/ barracks (1), and wedding party (1).
The confiscated establishments included a tent used as a classroom and a mobile caravan
The second indicator is related to the geographical distribution of the targeted establishments among the various governorates. The majority was in Jerusalem (37) and (16) in Hebron.
As for the notifications with demolishing, confiscation, or stop construction orders as well as other orders that deprive Palestinians from the right to utilize their own establishments, the majority was in Salfeet (22) while there were (19 in Hebron). Revising the distributed notifications will contribute to predict the future targeting of the Palestinian establishments.
The third indicator is related to the targeted population as all the targeted establishments through the various forms of violations are owned by Palestinians. The total number of affected persons, according to the available data, during January, was 118 Palestinians including at least 36 children and 5 women.
As for the justifications given by the occupation’s authorities to legalize the crimes against Palestinian establishments, 93 demolished establishments (out of 98) were under the justification of unlicensed building while 4 were demolished as collective punishment against Palestinians involved in resisting the occupation. The last demolished house was under the justification that there are Palestinian fighters inside it.
As for the notifications, the Israeli authorities notified the owners of 49 establishments under the justification of unlicensed building while the confiscated establishments (2) were also under the justification of unlicensed building.
In regard to the self- demolishing, which stands as a form of structured oppression against Palestinians where Jerusalemite Palestinians are obligated to demolish their establishments on their own to avoid being subject to high financial fines or even being arrested, five establishments were demolished by the owners during the month of January. Self- demolishing is a clear interpretation of the Apartheid System that Israel applies against Palestinians where the victims are obligated to participate in the crimes against themselves. The justification is unlicensed building as usual within the policy of collective punishment that Israel applies against Palestinians involved in resisting the occupation as a tool to deter others from participating, the Israeli authorities demolished three houses in Jenin and one house in Jerusalem.