Demolishing, Notifications with Demolishing/ Stopping Construction, Confiscation, or Evacuation Order
Ramallah: Human Rights and Democracy Media Center- SHAMS, issued its monthly documentation report (for July 2023) about the crimes of demolishing, notification with demolishing/ stop construction, confiscation, or evacuation orders committed by the Israeli authorities against the Palestinian establishments. The Israeli authorities target the various types of Palestinian establishments, including tourism, religious, commercial, industrial, educational, or agricultural establishments. The focus of the targeting process is on the residential establishments. SHAMS Center issues periodical (monthly, semiannually, and annually) documentation reports about this type of violation and other violations committed by the occupying power (Israel), against Palestinians.
The report is based on a field documentation methodology through the team and the field researchers of SHAMS Center covering the period 1- 31/7/2023 in the various governorates of the West Bank. The collected data is analyzed and processed to be presented in the form of easily readable tables against a group of qualitative and quantitative indicators. During the current month, the Israeli authorities targeted 81 establishments owned by Palestinians, through demolishing, notification with demolishing/ stopping construction orders to be targeted shortly, confiscating, or evacuating.
The major form of violation was demolishing where 54 establishments were demolished including 10 establishments within the self-demolishing policy, as the owners are obligated to demolish their establishments on their own to avoid paying high financial fines or being arrested, till the fine is paid, in case the demolishing was done by the Israeli authorities. The demolished establishments were under the claim of unlicensed buildings.
There were 23 notified establishments with demolishing or stopping construction orders. The notified establishments included houses, residential caravans, and residential tents.
The Israeli authorities disfigured and confiscated 3 tents used to breed seep in Al-Makhrour area- Beit Jala- Bethlehem, under the claim of unlicensed buildings.
As for the evacuation, the Israeli forces broke through the house of (Sob Laban) family in the Old City of Jerusalem, and under threat by guns, the family was forced to evacuate the house and empty its contents. The house then was handed to a group of settlers under the claim that it belonged to Jews.
The first indicator within the report reflects the types of the targeted establishments through demolishing, notified with demolishing/ stopping construction orders, confiscating, or evacuating. The demolished establishments during the current month included: houses (9), residential rooms (2), residential barracks (17), residential caravans (1), agricultural rooms (1), retaining walls (1), commercial establishments (4), livestock barracks/ sheds (4), agricultural tents (10), stone terraces (1), schools (1), public garden (1), pergolas (1), external arches (1).
The notified establishments included: Houses (17), residential tents (2), residential caravans (1), agricultural pools (2), Livestock barracks/ sheds (1).
The confiscated establishments are 3 tents used to breed sheep while the evacuated establishment is a house in the Old City of Jerusalem.
The second indicator highlights thte geographical distribution of the targeted establishments, where the highest number was in Jerusalem (37) and in the second level Nablus (10 establishments).
Concerning the notifications whether with demolishing, stopping construction, confiscating, or evacuating, as well as other violations that deprive Palestinians of utilizing their properties, the highest number was in Nablus (13 establishments) while there were 6 in Salfeet. Surveying the distribution of the notification orders would contribute to predicting the future targeting of the Palestinian establishments.
The third indicator is dedicated to highlighting the targeted population as all the targeted establishments are owned by Palestinians. Sometimes, it is hard to figure out precisely the number of affected persons, but the field researchers try to count the possible number of persons. The number of affected Palestinians is estimated at hundreds of persons. During July, the team of SHAMS Center managed to reach 29 persons.
As for the claims proposed by the Occupation state to legalize its crimes against the Palestinian establishments, 53 establishments were demolished under the claim of unlicensed buildings in areas classified as (C) while one establishment was demolished for security reasons.
Regarding the notifications, the Israeli authorities notified the owners of 22 establishments to demolish and stop construction under the claim of unlicensed buildings. One establishment was notified with a demolishing order within the policy of collective punishment against Palestinians involved in resisting the occupation.
The three confiscated establishments were under the claim of unlicensed buildings and the evacuated house was under the claim of being owned by Jews.
Regarding self- demolishing, 10 establishments were demolished within such a policy. The self- demolishing is one of the worst structured forms of oppression where the victims are obligated to participate in the crimes against themselves. The various arms of the Israeli government including the police, courts, and municipality work jointly in applying this racist policy. During the current month, the Israeli authorities obligated the owners of 10 establishments to demolish them on their own. The Israeli authorities in Jerusalem usually obligate the Jerusalemites to cover the cost of demolishing their establishments in case they were demolished by the Israeli authorities. Usually, there is exaggeration in estimating the costs and the owner could be detained till the fine is paid. To avoid these high fines, Jerusalemites prefer to demolish the establishments on their own as the costs could be less than the fines. The houses within the self-demolishing were under the claim of unlicensed buildings.
Within the policy of home demolishing as collective punishment applied against Palestinians involved in resisting the occupation and to deter others from involvement in resisting the occupation, the Israeli authorities notified te owner of a house in Jerusalem, with a demolishing order, within the frame of this policy.
During invading and raiding the Palestinian cities, towns, villages, and refugee camps, the Israeli forces intentionally demolish the Palestinian properties. Additionally, the Israeli forces demolish the infrastructure such as water, electricity, and sewage networks. During July, the Israeli forcrs invaded and sieged Jenin Refugee Camp on the third and fourth of the month. During these couple of days, several houses were shelled and others were entirely or partially demolished. The Israeli authorities demolished 41 residential units and demolished (partially) another 600 residential units, as reported by the Popular Committee in the Camp.
For the full version of the Report, Click Here