Five House Demolition Orders Issued Against Palestinians Houses in Al Hijra Village

Violation:  five house demolition orders in addition to one Stop Work order were issued against Palestinian houses.

Date: October 28, 2009

 

Justification:  No construction permits,No construction permits knowing that it exists in area classified “B’ according to Olso Agreement.

 

Location: Al Hijra – Hebron Governorate.

 

 

Victims: Jamal Ibrahim Al Rojoob, Khaled Mahmoud Masharqa, Naser Hasan Masharqa, Bilal Ahmad Masharqa, and Ghazi Nimer Dodeen.

 

Details:  the Israeli occupation authorities and the so-called “Civil Administartion” handed out five house demolition orders in Al Hijra east of Dura in Hebron Governorate. Which is considered a hazardous step because areas classified “B’   according to Olso Agreement are not included in the Israeli occupation Jurisdiction.

 

The owners stated to LRC’s field researcher:’ occupation army forces accompanied by ‘civil administration’ officers, went into Al Hijra on October 28, 2009 and handed the locals the demolition orders. The orders gave the locals one week to comply’.

 

The orders indicated that ‘the landlords must immediately stop all construction works and demolish what they built and return the area to its status quo during one week from the order’s date.’ In addition, the order stated that if the locals do not comply, the occupation authorities will demolish the house on the owner own expense.

 

These orders have never been issued before in the cities and villages of the West Bank’s hinterland. It was only used in Jerusalem which is under full Israeli control and Israeli laws are applied in the city. It is obvious that the occupation forces have found an easier, more efficient, income generating method of house demolitions. Furthermore, this method publicly whitewashes the occupation authorities from the crime of house demolition and arbitrary evacuation of Palestinians. The purpose of this new method is showing the world that the owner has admitted his mistake when he destroyed his house by himself.

 

When a parent destroys the shelter of his children while they are looking on, they have the feeling that he is incapable of protecting them, that he is weak, and unable to provide them with the needed security which generates instability within the family. As a result, the trauma makes the children depressed and torn apart; it makes them live a life unable to trust family or society and eventually the future. Not to mention the huge financial loss of the family.   

 

No.	Owner	Members	Area (m2)	established	Status	Picture	order
1	Jamal Ibrahim Al Rojoob	9	230	2009	Under construction		Jamal order
2	Khaled Mahmoud Masharqa	12	250	2009	Under construction		Khaled order
3	Naser Hasan Masharqa	5	119	2008	Inhabited		Naser order
4	Bilal Ahmad Masharqa	8	200	2009	Under construction		Bilal order
5	Ghazi Nimer Dodeen	0	170	2009	Under construction		Ghazi order
Total:		34	969

 

 

Additionally, the occupation authorities handed Samir Nimer Dodeen, owner of an under-construction, 120 m²  building a Stop Work order that is to be carried out immediately.

 

 

The Palestinian victims have rejected to comply with such orders. These orders are used to put more pressure on the Palestinian citizens in order to make them leave their lands and take over it for the sake of nearby settlements.

 

Khaled Masharqa, whom his house is to be demolished, was wondering about the fate of his family. He said:’ where shall my family and I go? If the occupation authorities implement the order, my dream, and my lifetime work will be destroyed in an instance. We are going to have to live in tents. What are we going to do in the winter?’

 

Khaled explained that the occupation forces are always monitoring the construction works done in the village; soldiers always take pictures of any structure, whether new or renovated pointing that the soldiers passing usually stop and take pictures of the local resident’s buildings.

 

The landlords called upon the legal and humanitarian organizations to stand up for them in order to prevent the destruction of their houses.

 

The occupation authorities handed 7 similar orders during June. For more information about the previous orders: Israeli Occupation Forces Issues Stop Work Orders Against Houses in Al Hijra Village.

 

 

Al Hijra is a village that is located east of Dura in Hebron Governorate. It has a population of about 400 people, most of them are from the Masharqa clan. A local committee manages the different affairs of the people. A water supply line from Hebron city provides the village with the necessary water.  The village depends on the Israeli electric company to which the locals pay their bills by mail. There exists a mosque in Al Hijra but no schools. As such, students have to go to schools in Dura or Al Fawwar Camp to seek education. On the other hand, the main entrance of the village has been blocked by the occupation forces since 2000.

 

 

The occupation authorities apply these orders under ‘no permits’ excuse. However, even if the locals apply for permits, they won’t be granted them anyway. The need for shelter drive the locals to build their houses on their property believing in their right of having residence to shelter them and their families, a right guaranteed by the international laws.

 

Moreover, treating Palestinians living in areas classified as Area C according to Oslo Agreement the same way the Israelis treat people living in ‘Israel’ is considered against all the international calls which consider the West Bank an occupied Palestinian territories.