Security Surveillance Cameras to be installed in Neve Daniel settlement, southwest of Bethlehem city

On November 23, 2011, the Israeli Occupation Forces handed over citizens of Al Khader village west of Bethlehem city an amendment to a previously issued Israeli military order holding number 05/18/T to seize 0.012 dunums (120 m²) of lands in Al Khader village for security purpose, to install surveillance cameras in Neve Daniel settlement. Table 1: to seize 0.012 dunums (120 m²) of lands in Al Khader village for security purpose, to install surveillance cameras in Neve Daniel settlement.

 

 

Table 1: The seizure of lands in Al Khader village according to Military Order No.  (amendment) 05/18/T
No.	Block No.	Parcel
1	5	86 (part of it)
2	8	48 &88
Source: Israeli Military Order No. (amendment) 05/18/T

 

 

The Israeli military order gave citizens of Al Khader village 7 days time to file objections against the military order at the office of Israeli Civil Administration or at the Offices of the juridical advisor in Judea and Samaria. It is worth pointing out that the Israeli military order was issued on September 20, 2011 but was only served to citizens of Al Khader village on the 23^rd of November 2011, two months following the date of the order’s issuance. This deliberate policy will not enable citizens of Al Khader to file objections against the military order, as the order gives land owners or those acting on behalf 7 days to file objections against the military order.

 

The original Israeli military order (18/05/T) was served to citizens of Al Khader village  on October 3, 2005 and states the seizure of 0.4 dunums (400 m²) of lands for military uses, to establish an Iron Gate at the entrance of Neve Daniel settlement.  

 

A Palestinian village located about 4.5 km west of Bethlehem city and houses a total population of 11700 (PCBS 2010). It is bordered by Bethlehem city from the east, Husan and Battir villages from the west and northwest, from the north and northeast Al Doha and Beit Jala cities, and the gush Etzion settlements bloc and Artas village from the southwest and south. The village’s total land area is 20090 dunums, which includes 601 dunums as built up area.

 

According to the Oslo II Interim agreement that was signed in 1995 between the Palestinian Liberation Organization and Israel, the lands of Al Khader village are classified into areas A, B, C, where areas classified as ‘A’, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) had complete autonomy over administrative and security issues. In areas classified as ‘B’, Palestinians have full control over the civil administration and Israel continues to have overriding responsibility for security; while areas classified as ‘C’ are those lands where Palestinians have responsibility for civil life such as economics, health, and education; while, Israel retains full control over security and administration related to the territory. See Table 2:

 

Table 2:  Classification of Lands in Al Khader village  according to Oslo II Agreement of 1995
Classification of Area	Area in dunums (km²)	% of the Village’s total area
Area A	565 (0.5 km²)	2.81
Area B	1176 (1.17 km²)	5.85
Area C	18349 (18.3 km²)	91.3
Total Area	20090 (km²)	100

The village of Al Khader is bordered by a number of illegal Israeli settlements from its southwestern side which, throughout the years of occupation, have caused the seizing and confiscation of 2917 dunums of the village’s lands, 14.5% of the total village area. In addition, the Israeli bypass road no. 60 has also resulted in the confiscation of more of Al Khader lands to act as a link between the Israeli settlements located within the Gush Etzion settlement bloc. and the Israeli settlements in Jerusalem and those in the southern part of the West Bank (Hebron Governorate). Table 3 lists the Israeli settlements that were established on lands of Al Khader Village:

 

Table 3: Israeli Settlements established on land of Al Khader Village
Settlement Name	Establishment Date	Pop 2008-2009	Total Area of  settlement (Dunum)	Lands confiscated from Al Khader village (dunum)
Rosh Zurim	1969	550	893	4
Allon Shevut	1971	3400	1003	38
Migdal ‘Oz	1977	405	1133	46
Neve Daniel	1982	1883	548	584
Eli’zar	1975	1706	536	536
Efrat	1979	8300	2180	1709
Total			6293	2917

 

The Israeli segregation wall will extend a length of 6.7 km on lands of Al Khader village from north to south. Upon completion, the wall will cause the isolation and segregation of 15270 dunums (15.3 km²), 76% of the total village area. Table 4 below shows the land classification of the isolated area in Al Khader village:-

 

Table 4: Land Use Land Cover of Al Khader Village isolated lands.
Land classification of Al Khader Village isolated lands	Area (Dunum)
Agricultural lands	8874
Forest & Open Space	3369
Artificial Surfaces	38
Palestinian built-up area	14
Israeli Settlement	2917
Israeli Outpost	12
Wall Zone	46
Total Area	15270

Table 4 shows that the wall will grab the most fertile agricultural lands in the village of Al Khader and will dramatically affect the agricultural sector in the village as these lands constitute a major source of income to most Palestinian families. Al Khader village along with the neighboring Palestinian villages in the western rural area of Bethlehem Governorate represent the food-basket of the Governorate and therefore, will be severely affected by the construction of the wall as land owners will be deprived access to their lands upon wall completion and no longer will they be able to cultivate them.

 

Despite international denunciation, Israel is proceeding with its unilateral plans to build the Segregation Wall, isolating and confiscating large tracts of Bethlehem Governorate’s lands. According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 17, ‘No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property‘() which means that Israel has no right to destroy or confiscate Palestinians’ properties at any case.

 

Moreover, The Hague Regulations, Article 23, expressly forbids an occupying power ‘to destroy or seize the enemy’s property, unless such destruction or seizure is imperatively demanded by the necessities of war’ ().

 

Annex 1: Translation of the Israeli military order number Amendment (05/18/T)