•  Violation: demolition of housing and agricultural facilities.
• Violation date: 02/08/2022.
• Location: Al-Ramadin town / Hebron governorate.
• The aggressor: the so-called Israeli Civil Administration.
• Affected party: citizen Jamil Al-Zagarna.

The details:

 On Tuesday, August 2, 2022, the Israeli occupation authorities demolished a house, a water well and a barracks owned by Jamil Ibrahim Al-Zagarna, under the pretext of building them without a license in the town of Al-Ramadin, south of Hebron Governorate.

The affected citizen told the Land Research Center’s field researcher the following:

“At about ten o’clock in the morning, a force of the occupation army, the so-called Border Police, and employees of the Occupation’s Organization and Construction Department, along with a civilian Volvo bulldozer, came to Al-Tina area, west of the town of Al-Ramadin. They reached my agricultural land there, and the soldiers deployed in the site, and prevented us from reaching the land, then they demolished my facilities”.

 

Photos 1-2: From the demolition of the buildings of the citizen Al-Zagarna in the town of Al-Ramadin

 The occupation demolished the house of the citizen, which was built of stone and reinforced concrete, with an area of ​​ (50 m²), and it was still in the construction phase. Al-Zagarna stopped working in it after receiving a notice from the occupation authorities to stop work issued on (3/4/2022).

Photo 3: A view of the house before the demolition process

Photo 4: The rubble of the house after the demolition

 

The occupation also demolished a water well with a capacity of (30 m³) that was below the house, and was used to irrigate the crops on a plot of land owned by the affected citizen, with an area of (4 dunums) planted with fruitful seedlings, where the bulldozer worked to bury it in the rubble of the dwelling.

It also demolished a tin barracks in which the owner was sheltering while working on his land. The area was (20m²), in addition, he had received a notice to stop work in it issued on (3/4/2022).

Photo 5: A view of the barracks before the demolition process

Photo 6: The barracks after the demolition process

 

Al-Zagarna explained that the occupation bulldozer destroyed the crops, aromatic plants and ornamental plants that were planted next to the house.

The aggrieved citizen who supports a family of (8 individuals – 6 children – 3 females) indicated that the occupation authorities had issued on 20/6/2022 a final order to stop work and demolish what was built within 7 days.

The citizen Al-Zagarna noted that he tried to apply for a license for his facilities; However, the complexities of preparing the file imposed by the occupation prevented him from preparing and completing the file, so the occupation demolished what was built on Tuesday morning, 2/8/2022.

Legal Feedback:

The demolition of Palestinian homes and facilities by the occupation authorities comes within its violations of international and humanitarian law, and a violation of a right of Palestinian citizens guaranteed by international law and international treaties, which is the right to adequate housing, within the following articles:

• Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which states that “extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly” is a “grave breach” of the Convention”.

• Article 53 of the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1948 “prohibits 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”.

• Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states:

• No protected person may be punished for an offence he or she has not personally committed. Collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of.

• Paragraph ‘G’ of Article 23 of The Hague Convention of 1907 warns against “the destroy or seize the enemy’s property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war”.
• Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, dated December 10, 1948, states that “Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others”.

 

Prepared by
 The Land Research Center
LRC