Israeli Occupation Forces Issue Stop Work Orders against Water Cisterns and Barracks in Arab Al Ramadin, South Hebron District

Violation: The issuing of 12 Stop Work Orders, land ploughing and the threat to confiscate additional lands to establish a fence surrounding a colony.

Location: The town of Al Ramadien, south of the Hebron District.

Date: 18 October and 25 August, 2010.

 

Israeli occupation forces threatened to demolish a number of water cisterns, bruxes and an under-construction house in the town of Arab Al Ramadien south of the Hebron District; on the 18^th of October, 2010, Israeli occupation forces accompanied a representative of the so-called Israeli “Civil” Administration as he distributed Stop Work and Demolition Orders against 9 water cistern, 2 bruxes and a house under construction. The Orders stipulated that the threatened structures were built in Area C without a permit from the Israeli authorities. The Orders instructed the owners of the structures to “stop immediately the construction activity, demolish what was built and to return the land to its previous state within a week.” The Orders also indicated that this operation will be carried out at the expense of the owner of the structure.

 

Mr. Nawwaf Al Zagharneh, one of the notables of the town, expressed to the Land Research Center (LRC)’s field researcher that the targeted structures are located in the area of Wadi Al Tina. He emphasized that the cisterns were funded by the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture in its effort to fight thirst and drought the District has been suffering from for the past 5 years especially in its southern parts. The cisterns were also dug in the said area to help in the rehabilitation of about 1,000 dunums for agricultural purposes as well as to provide drinking water for the herds of the town which are the main source of income for the towns’ residents.

 

  

 

Earlier on the 25^th of August, 2010, Israeli occupation forces distributed initial Stop Work Orders against the same structures. Yet, due to the financial hardship faced by the community, its members decided to continue with the implementation of the project despite the Israeli threats. They have received the second ultimatum on the 18^th of October, 2010. The following table lists all relevant information regarding the threatened structures:

 

No.	Name	No. of Structures	Area in m2	Family Members	Type of Structure	Building Date	Building Status
1	Nawwaf Sarhan Zagharneh	1	80	27	Cistern	2010	Under construction
2	Nawwaf Jaser Zagharneh	1	30	15	Shed	2008	Used
		1	80	0	Cistern	2010	Under construction
3	Salem Jaddou Zagharneh	1	80	20	Cistern	2010	Under construction
4	Ahmad Suleiman Zagharneh	1	80	17	Cistern	2010	Under construction
5	Khader Suleimna Zagharneh	1	80	30	Cistern	2010	Under construction
6	Fayez Jaddou Zagharneh	1	80	14	Cistern	2010	Under construction
7	Mihbash Zagharneh	1	80	15	Cistern	2010	Under construction
8	Mansour Fuhaid Zagharneh	1	80	3	Cistern	2010	Under construction
9	Raed Abdullah Zagharneh	2	130	25	Two Bruxes	2000	Used as an animal shelter.
10	Majed Khalil Abu Qa’ood	1	150	10	A house	2010	Under construction
11	Abdullah Awwad Zagharneh	1	80	22	Cistern	2010	Under construction
TOTAL		13	1030	198