Historic buildings are targeted in Hebron’s Old city

Hebron- Old city- Part of the residential compound threatened with demolition, Photo courtesy of LRC

The Israeli occupation forces issued two military orders to demolish 11 housing units and confiscate a piece of land. The housing units and land are owned by Palestinians from the Hebronite families of Da'na, Jaber and Idris. The threatened properties are located near the Ibrahimi mosque in the heart of the old city in Al Masharqa Al Foqa (Upper Masharqa) in Wadi an Nasara area.

Although the two orders were signed on April 29th, 2004, they were publicized on May 4th, 2004 with the aim of depriving owners from having enough time to appeal against them in Israeli courts taking into consideration that the orders allowed for an objection period of only five days.   

The first military order carries the number of B-1-04 stipulating the demolition of a deserted residential compound (In Arabic Hara or Hosh) containing the eleven housing units and located on the road linking between Keriyat Arab' settlement and the mosque. See Photo 1

Hebron- Old city- Part of the residential compound threatened with demolition, Photo courtesy of LRC

The second military order carries the number of T-04-36 stipulating the confiscation of a piece of land whose total area is 650 and located few meters to the south corner of the Ibrahimi mosque. The land is owned by Islamic Waqf (due to ongoing curfew on the area, it was impossible for LRC field worker to get a picture of the targeted land).

The reason behind these two military orders is to expand the colonial road linking between the mosque and the settlement of Keriyat Araba'. However, the Israeli authorities claimed that the orders were issued for security purposes. This step, also, comes as part of the Israeli ongoing efforts to Judaize the old city by destroying Palestinian cultural heritage represented in old structures, markets and holy places.

Historically, this compound is about five hundreds years old dating back to the Turkish period and is one of the historic and cultural buildings of the old city. It is decorated with Islamic ornaments and cravings. It has quite many rooms and facilities forming one single residential quarter. Following the establishment of the settlement Keriyat Arba' in 1968, Palestinian inhabitants of the old city began to suffer continuous harassment and abuses at the hands of Israeli soldiers and settlers on their way from the said settlement to the Ibrahimi mosque. In the following years, Israeli occupiers started to increase their existence in the city by occupying more and more Palestinian houses after dismissing their legal occupants. This strategy has led to the establishment of the Jewish quarter in Hebron which now comprises four separate compounds located in various places in the old city with a total population of about 500 amidst 45000 Palestinians. See Photo 2 & Photo 3 

Hebron- Old city- The two pictures above show Palestinian stores and businesses closed by Israeli round the clock curfew, Photos courtesy of LRC

The members of the families of Da'na, Jaber and Idris who were living in the abovementioned compound have had to face regular attacks and harassments by Israeli soldiers and settlers due to the proximity of their residential compound to the mosque and colonial road. As a result, many of the family members were either arrested or beaten through out the years of occupation leading to the total dismissal of all occupants from this compound. Today, the members of these families live as refugees in other dwellings in the city. The following is a table of heads of nucleus families ( owners)  used to live in the threatened compound: 

Legal advocacy:

The affected families, together with the municipality of Hebron, are trying to object the two military orders despite the Israeli deception and maneuvering reflected in delayed announcement of the two orders. The victim's are represented by the Palestinian lawyer, Mr. Tawfiq Jahshan, from the Hebron's Old city Reconstruction Committee, and the Jewish lawyer, Mr. Shlomo Laker. See Photo 4

Hebron- Old city- One of the closed gates surrounding the Ibrahimi mosque, Photos courtesy of LRC

Photo 5 & & Photo 6

Hebron- Old city Another two iron Israeli erected gates splitting out, the old city, Photos courtesy of LRC

Prepared by

The Land Research Center
LRC