Israeli Ethnic Cleansing in Rafah

In cooperation with the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (www.pchrgaza.org))

Starting by severing all the geographic link to the city of Rafah, completely isolating it from the rest of Gaza Governorates, Israel managed with all kinds of excuses to justify its onslaught on the city leaving thousands of distressed Palestinian civilians of Rafah homeless, scattered in streets after the IO bulldozers demolished their houses.

On the 17th of May, the IOF again incurred into other parts of Rafah city, mainly in Tal Al Sultan, Al Salam and Al Brazil neighborhoods near the border with Egypt and totally destroyed the infrastructure of the quarters which according to residents need years to be convalesced from the recent Israeli concatenation of house demolition and infrastructure; This included water and wastewater networks in addition to electricity network which in return increased the losses in the area. See pictures of destruction in Tal As Sultan neighborhood.

, the IOF again incurred into other parts of Rafah city, mainly in Tal Al Sultan, Al Salam and Al Brazil neighborhoods near the border with Egypt and totally destroyed the infrastructure of the quarters which according to residents need years to be convalesced from the recent Israeli concatenation of house demolition and infrastructure; This included water and wastewater networks in addition to electricity network which in return increased the losses in the area. See pictures of destruction in Tal As Sultan neighborhood.

Photo 1, Photo 2 & Photo 3, 

Photo 4, Photo 5 & Photo 6

The Israeli incursion into Tal Al Sultan, Al Salam and Al Brazil quarters on the 17th of May marked the second part of the Israeli military operation which started in May 1, 2004 and resulted in the demolition of 258 houses between completely and partially, in addition to bulldozing of agricultural fields. Click here for further details.

The massive incursion – considered the largest in the Gaza Strip since the uprising of the second Intifada in 2000, came soon after the IOF withdrew from Rafah city to launch another military operation in the aforementioned quarters claiming the existence of underground tunnels that Israel says are used to smuggle weapons into the Palestinian territories.

In a report issued by the UNRWA listing the number of houses demolished in the period between 18 and 24 May, a total of 45 buildings have been completely demolished in Tal Al Sultan, Al Salam and Al Brazil quarters and housing about 360 families (575 individuals); thus increasing the number of distressed and homeless close to 14700 were housed in 1.476 buildings since the beginning of the second Intifada. See map of Demolished houses 

Below is a detailed table of some of the demolished houses: 

ARIJ Database 2004

Photos of destruction in the Brazilian and As Sultan Quarters:-

Photos of destruction in the Brazilian Quarter

 Destruction in Tel As Sultan quarter

The Israeli military operations in Rafah quarters slowly and deliberately follow a policy of house demolition making space for other hidden plans to be implemented in the area, which is the same as it has been in the 37  years of occupation, before they were looking for smuggling tunnels. This collectively punishment policy Israel is adopting in the Palestinian Territories harms many innocent people and horrendously affects all aspects of life in addition to the fact that this policy also violates all international laws and Geneva Conventions, particularly article 33 which states that: '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 terrorism are prohibited. Pillage is prohibited. Reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited.'

The houses and green fields that have been destroyed by the IOF in Rafah quarters belonged to Palestinians who has never been involved in any way in attacks against Israeli forces or in smuggling weapons.. Despite world's condemnations, hundreds of Palestinian families lost, as a result of the Israeli military operation their homes and properties. to be implemented in the area, which is the same as it has been in the 37  years of occupation, before they were looking for smuggling tunnels. This collectively punishment policy Israel is adopting in the Palestinian Territories harms many innocent people and horrendously affects all aspects of life in addition to the fact that this policy also violates all international laws and Geneva Conventions, particularly article 33 which states that: '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 terrorism are prohibited. Pillage is prohibited. Reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited.' The houses and green fields that have been destroyed by the IOF in Rafah quarters belonged to Palestinians who has never been involved in any way in attacks against Israeli forces or in smuggling weapons.. Despite world's condemnations, hundreds of Palestinian families lost, as a result of the Israeli military operation their homes and properties.

Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem