Stop Work Orders in Khirbet Umm Zaytouna in Yatta Town

Violation: The distribution of 6 Stop work Orders.

Date: March 7^th, 2011.

Location: Khirbet Umm Zaytouna in the village of Zif, northeast of the city of Yatta in Hebron.

Affected Population: Members of the clans of Abu Taha, Al Da’ajneh and Al Jabari.

 

 

The so-called “Civil Administration” associated with the Israeli occupation forces issued Stop work Orders against 9 structures owned by Palestinians residing in Khirbet Umm Zaytouna, Zif. The Orders were issued and distributed on March 7^th, 2011, as it stated that they were issued as the targeted structures were built “without a permit”. The Orders indicated that the owners of the structures must be present in the Military Court on March 31^st, 2011, at 9:00 AM to “discuss the demolition of the structures and to return the place to its original status.”

 

Residents of Umm Zaytouna indicated in their testimony to the Land Research Center (LRC)’s field researcher that occupation forces surrounded the targeted locations, wrote and distributed the Orders on the spot. Mr. Mahmoud Abu Taha, one of the affected owners, asked one of the soldiers about the reason behind the Orders. According to Abu Taha, the soldier replied that the residents must leave the location as their presence there is forbidden. That is despite the fact that the residents were present continuously in the targeted locations for the past 50 years.  

 

  

 

The following table lists the affected population, the nature of the structures, the type of usage, along with other related information:

 

Name	Area (in m2)	Family Members	No. of Children	Structure Type	Usage	Pics.
Mahmoud Shihada Abu Taha	40	13	8	A tent used as a residence	Inhabited	1
Mohammad Shihada Abu Taha	110	11	9	3 tents used residences	Inhabited	2+3
Joma’a Eid Al Jabari	40	N/A	N/A	1 room	Under construction	4
Mohammad Ismaeil Al Jabari	150	N/A	N/A	1 water cistern	Used	5
	35	N/A	N/A	1 room	Used	6
Ibraheem Jibreel Al Da’ajneh	120	17	10	2 tents used as residence	Inhabited	7+8
TOTAL	495	41	27	9

Source: Israeli Violation Monitoring Unit – Land Research Center.

 

It needs to be pointed out that the residents of Umm Zaytouna live on lands owned by Al Jabari family for the past 50 years. They work the land and consider it the main source of their income and livelihood. The area has a water spring in it from which they get their drinking and irrigation water.

 

Currently, the Khirbet is inhabited by 8 families from the clans of Abu Taha and Al Da’ajneh from the town of Yatta. They number almost 100 that work in herding and planting the land while residing in tents, caves and old huts. They have no sign of modern life as they depend on spring water and have no electricity.

 

The Khirbet is located about 1 kilometers east of the By-Pass Road 60. It is connected to the main road by an un-paved road. An Israeli watch tower is located at the outskirts of the Khirbet. The residents of the Khirbet have indicated that colonists often come to the only source of water to swim in it and throw stones and sand in it.

 

 They have also expressed their fear that Israeli occupation forces would demolish their tents which are the only shelters they have. These tents were donated to them by an international organization called Action Against Hunger to help the residents stay put and steadfast in their lands.

 

 

 

 

Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC