The House Demolition Campaign in Jabal Al Mukabbir – Jerusalem Governorate

The House Demolition Campaign in Jabal Al Mukabbir – Jerusalem Governorate

 


Photo 1: Jabal Al Mukaber- Jerusalem: Israeli bulldozers knocking down the Zahaika family's houses)

Photo courtesy of Al- Quds newspaper  

 

 

Jerusalem Governorate

Bulldozers of the Israeli municipality of occupied Jerusalem demolished two apartments for brothers Hani and Isam Mohammed Zahaika, 28 and 26 years old respectively, located in Salim quarter in Jabel Al Miukaber of east Jerusalem under the pretext of un-licensing. The demolition took place on August 23rd, 2006 at 7 AM. The two demolished flats are 300 square meters, inhabited by the 8 member family of Mohammed Zahaika ( Hani and Isam, in addition to their youngest brothers and sisters). One of the flats was allocated for Hani and his bride who got married only two days prior to demolition.  Three years ago the Zahaika's family built the houses on her only remaining piece of land in Jabel Al Mukaber after Israel had seized all of its land in 1967 and after. A part of the colony of Armon Hanatziv was built on the lands of Zahaika family in the year 1970. Only a street separates the two demolished apartments from the colony of Armon Hanatziv in Jabel Al Mukaber.

 

 


Photo 2: Ruins of Zahaika family's houses in Jabel Al Mukaber

 

Tricky 'Legal ' game

The house owners were bluffed by the Israeli 'legal' system as followed:

On July 25th, 2006, the supreme Israeli court decided to get the two apartments destroyed within 30 days commencing on August 15th, 2006, under the pretext of un-licensing.

 


(Photo 3: A copy of the Israeli Supreme Court's demolition ruling)

 

The family appealed the aforementioned decision and on August 21st, 2006, the municipality's court for local affairs ruled that:

  • the demolition order be postponed until further discussion has been conducted by the court on August 27th, 2006;

  • the family should deposit the amount of 80 000 NIS in the municipality's fund as a bail;

  • The family should close with cement blocks all the windows of the two houses.

 


(Photo 4: A copy of the municipality's ruling to postpone demolition)

  • Indeed, the family closed all the windows and paid the required amount just one day before demolitionÃ�¢?? August 22nd, 2006.

  • On the same day, at 2:30 PM, an Israeli military patrol visited the scene to be make sure that the family had performed its part.

  • However, Israeli settlers of Armon Hanatziv, in collaboration with the municipality, appealed to the same court in the afternoon and succeeded at 5:00 PM to obtain a demolition order against the two houses. In its argument, the court claimed that it was necessary to keep the space open in front of the settlement's houses. Strangely enough, the highest point in the two demolished apartments is 8 meters below the settlement's houses.

 

 

Photo 5: A copy of the municipality's ruling to postpone demolition

Photo 6: The ruins of the Zahaika family's houses below and some buildings from Armon Hanatziv

  • On the second day, August 23rd, 2006, the two apartments were destroyed. Before and during the demolition process the house owners who resisted the demolition were beaten and detained by the Israeli security forces, including a pregnant woman and her two kids. Tear gas and sticks were used to disperse the protesters from Jable Al Mukaber who arrived at the scene when the Israeli bulldozers were knocking down the houses. In two hours time, the two apartments which were a scene of happiness and joy just two days ago – holding of the wedding ceremony – became a scene of sadness and misery.

 

Following the demolition, the 8 – member Zahaika family, in addition to Hani's bride, returned to their very old falling house which is formed of only two bed rooms and a small hall with a kitchen.

 

 


(Map 1: Location of Jable Al Mukaber, Jerusalem)

 

 

Jerusalem mayor lies at himself

 

In an interview published by Al Quds newspaper just 48 hours before the demolition of Zahaika's houses, the mayor of the occupied Jerusalem, Ori Lobolinski, said that the municipality would refrain from performing any demolition acts against any Palestinian houses that were built outside roads' or public buildings' schemes in Jerusalem. Although this is true about the Zahaika's house it was demolished. Even,  Lobolinski went on to say that there are about 50 urban planning schemes under development in east Jerusalem which will upgrade to 100% the building pace in that area  and allow to have six to eight storey buildings,  as well as other improvements!!!.

 

No.

Owner's name

Demolition
 date

Location

Area
M2

No.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Housing unit

Room

Fam.
mem

1

Ziyad Jawad Mushasha

3.1.06

Biet Hanina

153

1

5

6

2

Usama Kazim Abu Khalaf

3.1.06

Beit Hanina

400

3

20

20

3

Halima Abu Riziq

4.1.06

Al Walajeh

150

1

5

10

4

Ahamd Abdul Razaq Siam

16.1.06

Silwan

60

1

3

7

5

Zakariya Mohm. Hujeij

16.1.06

Beit Hanina

120

1

4

6

6

Hussein Ezzat Kaswani

29.1.06

Beit Hanina

320

2

5

10

7

Mahmud Ahamd Al A'raj

31.1.06

Al Walajeh

100

1

4

6

8

Munzir Mahmud Salim

31.1.06

Al Walajeh

130

1

5

5

 

Total- January -2006

1433

11

51

70

9

Ibrahim Isaq Abu Khdeir

3.2.06

Beit Hanina

450

2

10

6

10

Khader Isaq Ab Khdeir

3.2.06

Beit Hanina

450

2

10

4

11

Farid Mohammed Abu Ad Daba'at

3.2.06

As Sawahra Asharqiya

200

1

7

7

12

Nasim Lutfi Siyam

14.2.06

Al Mukaber

65

1

4

3

 

Total- February -2006

1165

6

31

20

13

Ibrahim Saleh Al Faqieh

1.3.06

Khirab Al Lahim

100

1

4

4

14

Wajieh Abdul Aziz Dhaher

5.3.06

Jaba'

232

2

8

12

15

Amjad Kamil Shehada

7.3.06

Beit Iksa

260

2

7

5

16

Mustafa Khalil Abu Atin

22.3.06

Al Walajeh

70

1

4

8

17

Khader Mahmud Ziab

22.3.06

Al Walajeh

110

1

5

10

 

Total -March-2006

772

7

28

39

18

Wijdan Mohammed Ubaid

11.4.06

Isawiya

80

1

5

9

19

Zaid Zaidan Jaber

26.4.06

Azzaiyyem

140

1

5

10

 

Total- April- 2006

220

2

10

19

20

Musa Mohammed Al Ja'bari

8.5.06

Beit Hanina

150

2

6

10

21

Barakat Sarhan

8.5.06

Al Mukaber

90

1

4

7

22

Mohammed Eid Al Ja'bari

9.5.06

Beit Hanina

80

1

3

7

23

Abdul Qader Abu Isneina

16.5.06

Wadi Al Juz

50

1

3

7

 

Total- May 2006

370

5

16

31

24

Ali Khalil Abu Tair

20.6.06

Um Tuba

90

1

5

7

25

Suhaila Abu Mialah

24.6.06

Beit Hanina

76

2

4

7

 

Total- June- 2006

166

3

9

14

26

Mohammed Hussein Shamasna

10.7.06

Qatana

80

1

3

13

27

Fayza Na'im Abu Kaf

31.7.06

Beit Hanina

100

1

3

8

 

Total- July- 2006

180

2

6

21

28

Mohammed Abdullah Abu Al Humus

1.8.06

Isawiya

20

1

1

10

29

Ghaleb Isma'il Abu 'Arafa

7.8.06

Beit Hanina

750

6

36

80

30

Hani Mohammed Zahaika

23.8.06

Salim Qaurter

150

2

10

2

31

Izam Mohammed Zahaika

23.8.06

Salim Qaurter

150

2

10

8

 

Total- August- 2006

1070

11

57

100

 

Over all Total

5376

47

208

314

 Source: Field work by LRC

 

 

Table 2

House demolition in Jerusalem during 2006 by month

From 1/1/2006 – 31/8/2006

Month

Surface area in

M2

Number

Number

 

 

Housing units

Rooms

Fam. Members

Children

January

1433

11

51

70

49

February

1165

6

31

20

12

March

772

7

28

39

16

April

220

2

10

19

9

May

370

5

16

31

18

June

166

3

9

14

7

July

180

2

6

21

8

August

1070

11

57

100

64

Total

5376

47

208

314

183

Source: Field work by LRC

 

Table 3

Demolition of other structures in Jerusalem by month during 2006

From 1/1/2006 – 30/4/2006

Month

Structure type

No.

Surface area in

M2

January

Fuel stations

Retaining wall

7

1

NA

February

 

March

 Car age

1

35

April

Barracks and sheds

Car age 

Commercial stores

7

2

4

1770

Total

 

22

1805

Source: Field work by LRC

 

Table 4

House seizure in Jerusalem by month during 2006

From 1/1/2006 – 30/4/2006

Month

No.

 seized units

Surface area in

M2

No

 

 

 

Fam. mem

Children

January

February

March

12

1030

31

18

April

Total

12

1030

31

18

Source: Field work by LRC

 

 

Table 5

Demolition, closure and seizure of Palestinian houses and other structures by year under the
pretext of un-licensing and security Jerusalem governorate

Year

No. of house demolished

No. of other structures demolished

No. of tent demolished

No of House closed

No. of house seized

Eviction under the pretext of being old

Total

No. of affected people

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fam.

mem

Child

1997

27

56

58

4

0

145

NA

NA

1998

31

1

1

0

33

NA

NA

1999

39

17

3

5

0

64

NA

NA

2000

33

1

45

3

1

0

83

200

120

2001

78

9

2

1

0

90

500

270

2002

78

12

10

0

98

509

273

2003

147

10

0

1

9

11

178

996

553

2004

175

50

0

1

34

0

260

631

350

2005

120

25

0

0

0

0

145

481

249

2006

(until

31.8.06)

47

22

12

81

314

183

Total

775

185

120

21

67

11

1156

3631

1998

Source: Field work by LRC

 

 

Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC

 

Categories: Demolition