On May 9, 2007, the Israeli bulldozers, protected by the Israeli Occupation Army and the Israeli Police, stormed Al Walajeh village northwest Bethlehem Governorate and razed lands that belong to the village resident Mousa Mohammad Abed Rabbu located in Al Msen’a neighborhood in the village. After which they moved to demolish his 70 square meter livestock barn, which constitute the main source of income to Mr. Mousa’s family. The Israeli cold iron machines did not stop at that but went on to destroy the surrounding lands around his barn, and uprooted without any justification dozens of almond, citrus and cactus trees. See Map 1 Below
The Map of Al Walajeh Village
Endless Suffering
The Israeli systematic attack against Al Walajeh village and its residents have been a non-stop procedure since 1948 and 1967. In February 2006, the Israeli authorities issued the military order # (T/25/06), to confiscate 40 dunums from the village lands, at the main and only entrance of the village at its eastern side to construct a terminal identified by the Israeli Army as “Har Gilo Terminal” to control movement of residents from Al Walajeh toward Palestinian controlled areas. Once the terminal constructed, residents of Al Walajeh village will be trapped in an enclave surrounded from its three sides (north, south, and west) with the Israeli Apartheid Segregation Wall and by the planned terminal from its eastern side. In other words the 1,695 residents of Al Walajeh village will become imprisoned in their village, deprived from the right to move about freely for –work-live-education, etc, as their movement will beome restricted and controlled by the Israeli soldiers standing at the terminal.), to confiscate dunums from the village lands, at the main and only entrance of the village at its eastern side to construct a terminal identified by the Israeli Army as “” to control movement of residents from Al Walajeh toward Palestinian controlled areas. Once the terminal constructed, residents of Al Walajeh village will be trapped in an enclave surrounded from its three sides (north, south, and west) with the Israeli Apartheid Segregation Wall and by the planned terminal from its eastern side. In other words the residents of Al Walajeh village will become imprisoned in their village, deprived from the right to move about freely for –work-live-education, etc, as their movement will beome restricted and controlled by the Israeli soldiers standing at the terminal.
Moreover, in 2004, the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem announced plans to construct a new settlement called “Giv’at Yael” on 4000+ Dunums of lands to be confiscated from surrounding Palestinian towns; 2000 Dunums of which to be confiscated from Al Walajeh. According to the Israeli plans, the settlement will have more than 13,500 housing units to accommodate some 55,000 Israeli settlers.
On the ground “Giv’at Yael” planned settlement will physically complete the ring of settlements that separate Jerusalem from Bethlehem and consequently from the West Bank’s southern territory and encircle Bethlehem starting at Har Homa; east of Bethlehem to Gilo north of Bethlehem then to Har Gilo, west of Bethlehem where the link is completed with the planned Giv'at Yael before the settlement ring continues to link with Gush Etzion settlements bloc in the southwestern part of Bethlehem Governorate.
The Israeli Segregation Wall in Al Walajeh Village
The Wall route in Al Walajeh village has been subjected to several changes before it comes it current update, which was issued on April 30, 2006 by the Israeli Ministry of Defense on its website. The route clearly shows that the village of Al Walajeh will be put in an enclave, as a 6 kilometers stretch of the Segregation Wall will surround it completely, from all directions, and will cause the confiscation of 1980 dunums of its lands (1.980 km²), 45 % of the village's total area which is 4403 dunums (4.403 km²). Refer to map 1 above.
To Conclude
Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, Israel, as an occupying power, is prohibited from destroying any kind of private properties unless such destruction is lawfully justified as being imperative to the security of the occupying power and its operation in the territory it occupys.
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Article 147 of the same convention indicated 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.
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Art. 23 of the Hague Convention of 1907 also provide: 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;
Related Case Studies
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Israel Resumes “House Destruction” Policy in Al Walajeh Village Northwest of Bethlehem City. January 3, 2006.
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Israeli house demolition campaigns continue against residents of Al Walajeh Village. June 21, 2006.
Prepared by
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
ARIJ
