• Violation: Demolition of two under construction houses.
• Location: Beit Dajan / Nablus Governorate.
• Date: May 9^th 2022.
• Perpetrator: The Israeli Civil administration
• Victims: Two Abu Halwan families.

Description:

Monday may 9^th 2022, about 6:00 am, a massive army force accompanied by a vehicle from the building and organization department raided Beit Dajan village east Nablus, and arrived to Jeb An-Nemr location south the village, and demolished two under construction houses belong to citizens ‘Adel Abu Halwan  and ‘Imad Abu Halwan on the pretext of building without a license in area classified “C” according to Oslo accords.

Affected citizen ‘Adel Abu Halwan (49 years, 6 members) told LRC:

“A massive army force that composes of 8 military vehicles full of troops, 4 large caterpillar excavators raided the house , and carried out the demolition.

His house consists of two floors , each one has an area of (270 m²) built since last year of bricks and cement . In addition, the occupation authorities demolished a cement reservoir (60 m³) built nearby the house.”

Photo 1: House of citizen ‘Adel Abu Halwan before the demolition

Photo 2: The remains of ‘Adel Abu Halwan house

The Occupation authorities demolished house of citizen ‘Imad Abu Halwan (40 years and his family of 6) , consists of two floors , built of bricks and cement and was under construction.

The affected citizen ‘Adel Abu Halwan told LRC:

“In January 12^th 2022, the occupation authorities served a notice entitled “Removal of a new building” for his house and his neighbor’s house , that ordered to demolish the houses on the pretext of building without a license , and threatened to demolish the structure within 96 hours after issuing the notices in reference to military order (1797) in 2018.”

Demolition orders numbers (21453,21452) which targeted citizens houses

Abu Halwan pointed out that he hired a lawyer to object on the notices and defend his home and his neighbor’s home, but the occupation forces refused legal objections , and carried out the demolition , noting that the construction costs amounted to 400 thousand shekels , and the costs of building his neighbor’s house amounts to 250 thousand shekels.

Photo 3: House of citizen ‘Imad Abu Halwan before the demolition

Photo 4: The remains of citizens ‘Imad Abu Halwan house

He also said that he went to the village council , and received instructions to prepare a legal file , noting that the village council is receiving legal support from Land Research Center , in addition to workshops organized under Supporting Palestinian Land and Housing rights project to raise awareness on legal defense techniques.

Beit Dajan village:[1]

Beit Dajan is located 13 km to the east of Nablus; its total area is 44100 dunums including 360 dunums of built up area inhabited by 758 pople (207 census) in addition to 12500 dunums that are related to al-Ghoor area . A large part of the village lands were confiscated for the construction of the colony of Mehola in 1973.

Beit Dajan is surrounded by a number of villages namely (Salem, Deir al-Hatab, Talluza, Beit Furik, Ghoor el-Far’a ) and depends on grains plantation and fruitful trees such like olive, figs and almond.

 

[1] GIS-LRC