The Israeli Occupation Forces demolish structures in the Tubas area of Dhra Awwad

February 5, 2016

Violation: demolishing 27 structures

Location:  Dhra' Awwad- Tubas

Date: February 04, 2016

Perpetrators: Israeli Occupation Forces

Victims:  two Bedouin families

Details:

A massive force from the Israeli Occupation Forces accompanied by a staff from the so-called Civil Administration raided the area of Dhra' Awwad and carried out a massive demolition operation without any previous warning. The demolition reached out many tents and residential and agricultural structures on the claim of "unlicensed construction" in area classified "C", which is under Israel's control.

It should be marked that the demolition operation lasted for two hours, leaving massive destruction and two Bedouin families homeless out in the cold.

Photos 1-6: sings of the destruction on the targeted area

The following table shows information about the affected people and their structures:

Source : Field observation- Department of Monitoring Israeli Violations- Land Research Center-2016

Previous notices:

It should be marked that the owners of the targeted structures were served on September 2015 stop-work and construction order on their structures after the occupation forces targeted the area with demolition on June 2015. Noteworthy, the Israeli occupation authorities rejected the licensing procedures for the affected. As a result, the structures were demolished twice within a year. For more information, please read the following report (Ar, Eng).

 It should be marked that the Planning and Construction Committee- Israel Civil Administration on June 2014 served the affected families stop-work and construction orders under the pretext of unlicensed construction in an area classified "C" according to Oslo Accords. Noteworthy, the stop-work orders were served despite a decision made by an Israeli court to halt any demolition in the area from May 30 to June 30 2014.

 The residents of Dhra’ Awwad come originally from the southern part of the occupied historic Palestine in 1948. Residents first fled to the area of  al-Samu’, south Hebron and then moved to the area of Dhra’ Awwad, looking for water and pastures.

Land Research Center LRC sees that demolitions contradict with all of the International conventions and Humanitarian laws including:

1. Article 17 of the (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights stating: “Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.”
2. Section ‹G› of article 23 of the (1907) The Hague Conventions asserting: “In addition to the prohibitions provided by special Conventions, it is especially forbidden to destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war.”
3. Article 53 of the Geneva Fourth Convention (1948) declaring: “Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons, or to the State, or to other public authorities, or to social or cooperative organizations, is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.”
4. Section 1, Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966): “The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions. The States Parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right, recognizing to this effect the essential importance of international co-operation based on free consent."

Prepared by
 The Land Research Center
LRC