Four Demolition Orders in Steih Area – Jericho Governorate

Violation: threatening four structures inhabited by 30 people including 19 children as well as the power network in the area.

Date: January 12, 2012.

Perpetrators: the so-called Organization and Inspection Committee.

Location: Steih – Jericho.

Victims: families living in the area as well as the regional power network.

 

Steih area symbolizes the Palestinian struggle all around the West Bank, it is an example of the Palestinians’ day-to-day suffering and deprivation of basic rights granted by the International treaties. Stieh’s name has been repeated a lot recently as it has been set as a target for the Israelis. Recently, 7 residences were demolished before the eyes of their inhabitants without even warning the owners.

 

Less than a week later, Israeli troops broke into the area and ordered the immediate stoppage of construction in four residences and the power network supplying the area.

 

 

Victim	Family members	Children	Area (m2)	Structure	remarks
Hilmi Hannoun	8	5	120	One-storey-house	Received previous order
Sami al Abbasi	11	7	280	two-storey-house	Received previous order
Yonis Ayyath	4	2	140	One-storey-house
Khaled abu Thalam	7	5	60	Residence
Jerusalem Electricity Company				40 poles

The destruction of the electricity poles will deprive 490 people of their access to power. The owners were given a respite till February to object to the orders and submit permit applications. It must be noted that Steih area has become the last sanctuary for people escaping the Israeli violent measures in the Occupied City of Jerusalem.

 

However, the area has become a target for the Israeli house demolition policy. More than 70 structures in the area have been notified of demolitions. The pretext of demolition is either unlicensed construction or claims that the structure affects archeological sites which are unreal and unreasonable. It must be noted that ad Dyuk is a neighborhood that has been recently amended to the jurisdiction of Jericho Municipality.