The Demolition of Residential and Industrial Structures in the Villages of Haris, Jinsafuit and Arab Abu Fardeh – Qalqilia and Salfit Governorates

Violation: The demolition of a number of residential and industrial structures.

Locations: The villages of Haris, Jinsafut and Arab Abu Fardeh.

Date: May 30^th, 2011.

 

A wave of demolition and destruction by Israeli occupation forces was carried out on Monday May 30, 2011, against Palestinian structures in the governorates of Qalqilia and Salfeet under the pretext of being built without “proper permits”;  In the village of Haris (located north west of the city of Salfeet) Israeli occupation forces demolished a car wash made of zinco located in the vicinity of By-Pass Road 505. The car wash used to be owned by the 28-year-old Mr. Diya’a Ghannam Abdel Haleem from Haris who provides for a family of 5.

 

It is worth pointing out that the village of Haris is suffering from a hike in the number of Stop Work Orders issued against structures in it. According to its Village Council, there are currently more than 20 structures that are threatened with demolition by the Israeli occupation forces. 

 

As for the village of Jinsafut, Israeli occupation forces demolished a commercial shop located at the entrance of the village used to sell building equipment and materials. The shop was owned by Mr. Mahmoud Ali Sukkar and it was demolished, also, under the pretext of being built without a permit.

 

 

 

The shop was issued an initial Stop Work Order in the year 2010. Since then, the owner has been trying to take all necessary steps to get a permit, yet to no avail as occupation forces demolished it on May 30, 2011, thus depriving a family of 7 their only source of income.

 

In an interview with Mr. Sukkar, he indicated the following to the Land Research Center’s field researcher:  Since my shop was issued a Stop work Order, I have tried to go through the Israeli channels to be issued a permit. Yet, Israeli authorities kept on placing obstacles and delays until they demolished it. It is my only source of income and I don’t know what to do next. This is the Israeli occupation that wants to uproot us from our land and to make us refugees in our homeland. Its forces invent pretexts to destroy our homes as to make more space for its colonies.

 

The built-up area of the village is only 502 dunums (out of its 1700 total area). The said area does not meet the growing housing needs of the 2500 population of the village which forces them to build outside of the designated area. As such, their built up structures are usually faced with Stop Work Orders followed by actual demolitions. Currently, there are more than 25 residential, agricultural and commercial structures in the village facing the possibility of being demolished due to their presence in Area C.

 

In terms of Arab Abu Fardeh, it is located southwest of the city of Qalqilia and in the immediate vicinity of the colony of Elfe Minshe  There are more than 70 Palestinians there that are living in difficult conditions due to occupation policies and practices that deprive them from their most basic rights including the right to an adequate housing; in  case any of these Palestinian add any additional structure (regardless of its simplicity) to his shelter, Israeli occupation forces would not hesitate to demolish the entire structure. The demolition takes place at a time when the nearby colony of Alfe Minshe is being provided with all needed facilities for further and continuous expansion.

 

In line of the eviction and displacement policies, Israeli occupation forces demolished on May 30^th, 2011, the tent of the 34-year old Mr. Abdel Rahman Marei Abu Fardeh under the pretext of enlarging his residence without getting the needed permits. It has to be pointed out that all of the 23 structures in Arab Abu Fardeh have Stop Work and demolition orders against them signifying the occupation’s intention to displace the entire community.