Ramallah: Human Rights and Democracy Media Center- SHAMS, issued its monthly documentation report (February 2024) about the Israeli violations against Palestinian establishments (demolishing, notifications with demolishing orders, and other violations). The Israeli authorities (Occupying Power) usually target the various types of Palestinian establishments, including, religious, tourism, educational, commercial, official, industrial, and agricultural ones while the focus is on houses and residential units. SHAMS Center issues periodical reports (monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually) of documentation and monitoring reports about these types of violations and other violations committed by the Israeli occupation against Palestinians.
The report is based on field research documentation methodology by SHAMS team and field researchers who documented the Israeli violations against Palestinian establishments for the period 1- 29/2/2024. The geographical scope of the report is the West Bank, including Jerusalem. The collected data is processed and analysed to be presented in easily readable tables, against a group of qualitative and quantitative indicators. During the current month, the Israeli authorities targeted 54 Palestinian establishments through demolishing and notification with military orders of demolishing, to be targeted shortly.
The main form of violation during February was demolishing, which targeted 43 establishments, including 7 within the policy of self-demolishing where the owners are obligated to demolish their establishments on their own to avoid paying exaggerated financial fines or being arrested till the fine is paid, in case the Israeli authorities do the demolishing.
Regarding the notifications, the Israeli authorities notified the owners of 11 establishments with military orders to demolish or stop construction. The notified establishments included houses, a Sports Club, and a school. All were notified with orders under the allegation of unlicensed building.
The first indicator within the report is dedicated to the types of targeted establishments (Demolishing and Notifications with Demolishing orders). The demolished establishments during February included: Houses (30), Residential Rooms (1), Residential Caravans (1), Agricultural Rooms (1), Retaining Walls (3), Commercial Establishments (2), Livestock Barracks/ Sheds (3), Basement of a building (1), and stone terraces (1).
The notified establishments included: houses (9), a Sports Club (1), and a School (1).
The second indicator is dedicated to the geographical distribution of the targeted establishments where there were 17 in Jerusalem and 11 in Bethlehem (ranking in the first two positions).
As for the notified establishments (demolishing, Confiscation, Evacuation, or Stopping Construction Military Orders) and other violations that deprive Palestinians of the right to benefit from their establishments and assets, the Israeli authorities notified the owners of 11 establishments in Jerusalem and Jericho/ Jordan Valley Governorates. Surveying the notifications’ distribution will contribute to drawing the future trend of targeting Palestinian establishments.
Concerning the allegations utilized by Israel (Occupying Power), to legalize its crimes against Palestinians, 42 demolished establishments (out of 43 demolished ones), were under the allegation of unlicensed buildings in areas classified as (C). The last establishment was demolished within the policy of collective punishment applied by the Occupation against Palestinians involved in resisting the occupation and as a tool to deter others from participating in the national resistance.
As for the notifications, the Israeli authorities notified the owners of 11 establishments with military orders under the allegation of unlicensed buildings.
As for the self-demolishing, 7 establishments (out of 43 demolished establishments during February), were within this policy. Self-demolishing represents a structured racist policy applied by the Israeli occupation against Jerusalemites where they are forced to participate in the crimes committed against them. The Israeli authorities obligate the owner to cover the cost of the demolishing process in case it was done by the Israeli authorities and usually, there is exaggeration in estimating the cost of the process. The owners find no solution but to afford the costs as if they do not do so, then the owner is arrested till the fine is paid. Thus, Palestinians in Jerusalem find it less costly to demolish the establishments on their own. The seven demolished houses were under the allegation of unlicensed buildings.