Israeli Occupation Demolish Palestinian Structures in Khirbet Samra -Tubas Governorate.

Violation: The demolition of 14 structures and rendering 590 sheep without a shelter.

Location; Khirbet Samra south east Wadi Al Maleh in Tubas Governorate.

Date: April 7, 2011.

 

Khirbet Samra did not fare better than the other Bedouin Khirbets scattered throughout the Jordan Valley that are usually faced with the intentional policy of destruction and displacement by Israeli occupation authorities; The Khirbet was subjected to an intense demolition campaign on the 17^th of April, 2011, as 3 Israeli bulldozers protected by Israeli military jeeps raised havoc in the Khirbet leading to the destruction of most of its structures. Israeli occupation forces demolished the Khirbet under the pretext that these structures were built “without a permit in Area C”. 

 

It has to be pointed out that 10 days before the demolition Israeli occupation forces informed 3 families of Khirbet Samra of extending the time period of objection an additional 3 days. During these days the owners of the structures did, indeed, submit the needed documents to prevent the demolition in cooperation with the Legal Unit at Tubas Governor Office.

 

 The effort was successful as the relevant Israeli court has issued a one-month injunction to freeze the demolition. However, Israeli occupation forces did not take the court order into consideration and carried out the predetermined demolition.

 The following table classifies the damages sustained by the residents of Khirbet Samra due to the latest demolition which took place on April 17^th, 2011.

 

Name	No. of Sheep	Family Members	Children	Bruxes and Animal Pens	Bathrooms	Taboun	Other Damages
Na’eim Jamil Deeb Daraghma	110	2	0	1			1 tons of fodder and 8 piles of hay
Mayhoob Mohammad Naji Al A’amer	140	10	6	1	1	1	7 feeders, 4 water spots, zinco sheets, 3 tons of barley, 3 tons Nikhala, 40 piles of hay, vet medicine, 4 plastic tankers, tools to make cheese, clothes, shoes, 3 animal pens.
Ayman Eid Awad Daraghma	150	7	5	5	1	1	4 animal pens, 3 tons of barley, 1 ton of Nikhala, 50 piles of hay, 4 drinking spots, vet medicines, 1 ton of barley, kitchen, plastic coverings.
Fawzi Eid Awad Daraghma	70	9	7	1
Diab Eid Awad Daraghma	120	9	7	1		1
TOTAL	590	37	25	9	2	3

Source: Israeli Violation Monitoring Unit – Land Research Center – April, 2011.

 

 

 

 

Mr. Na’eim Jamil Daraghma (43 years old) pointed out to LRC’s field researcher the following: ‘We have been living in Khirbet Samra for tens of years. We were born here as did our sons and daughters. Yet, and despite the fact that we do have ownership deeds, Israeli desire to uproot us from here has no limit, thus the repeated demolitions. Look at the timing of the demolition; it was designed to coincide with the annual birth of the sheep which are currently without any shelter. Thus, the operation has dual purposes; uproot us from here and to hit our main source of income. ‘

 

 

The Khirbet is located southeast of the Governorate of Tubas at a distance of 21 kilometers from its center. It is located in Parcel 258, Piece 12 of Tubas lands. Farmers posses rental agreements issued even before the inception of the Israeli occupation in 1967.

The population of the Khirbet is 56 living in 6 households from the Daraghma clan. The population lives permanently in the Khirbet.  

 

As to add insult to injury, Israeli occupation forces have established 2 military camps in the vicinity of the Khirbet; Samra Military Camp which is located on the western side of the Khirbet as well as Bils Military Camp which is located on the eastern ridges of the Jordan Valley. The mere presence of these two camps instills fear in the hearts of the residents of the Khirbet. That is in addition to the nightly raids conducted by occupation forces due to “security reasons.”