Type of Violation: Stop work orders issued by Israeli occupation forces
Type of Buildings: 3 concrete houses and one water pool.
Date: April 18th, 2010.
Location: Al Ramouz area of the city of Halhul.
Affected: Mr. Mohammad Ismaeil Yousef Al Zama’areh, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad Se’eid Al Zama’areh, Mr. Dirar Mahmoud Mohammad Al Zama’areh and Mr. Mohammad Mahmoud Mohammad Al Zama’areh.
Pic.1: The threatened house of Mr. Mohammad Mahmoud Al Zama’areh – Halhul
Pic.2: A child from Al Zama’areh family in front of his family’s house.
Pic.3: The threatened house of Mr. Dirar Al Zama’areh – Halhul.
Violation:
Israeli occupation forces, accompanied by an official from the so-called Planning and Building Department in the Israeli Civil Administration, came to Al Ramouz area of the city of Halhul. They have taped Stop Work Orders on three houses in the town as well as a water pool. The Orders were issued against the structures for being built in Area C without a permit from the Israeli authorities.
Mr. Ahmad Al Zama’areh expressed the following for Land Research Center (LRC)’s field researcher: ‘At 10:30 AM on Sunday April 18th, 2010, two Israeli military jeeps came to our house accompanied by a Civil Administration jeep. The soldiers taped Stop Work orders on our houses despite the fact that we were present inside of them. When we saw them, we asked them about the reason behind the Orders. They replied that we have to go to Halhul Municipality and then to Beit El. I went directly to the Municipality and now I am taking all necessary steps to prevent the demolition. This occupation will never shake our steadfastness. It can kill, maim, demolish and displace as much as they want, Yet, we will stay steadfast in our land despite all of the attempts of the occupation.’
Pic.4: The threatened house of Mr. Ahmad Mohammad Al Zama’areh – Halhul
The following table lists the threatened structures:
|
Name
|
Area in m2
|
Family Members
|
Children
|
Type of Structure
|
Order No.
|
|
Ahmad Mohammad Se’eid Al Zama’areh
|
130
|
4
|
2
|
House
|
|
|
Mohammad Mahmoud Mohammad Al Zama’areh.
|
140
|
5
|
3
|
House
|
|
|
Dirar Mahmoud Mohammad Al Zama’areh
|
140
|
5
|
3
|
House
|
|
|
Mohammad Ismaeil Yousef Al Zama’areh
|
50
|
7
|
5
|
Water pool
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
460
|
21
|
13
|
|
|
Pic.5: The threatened water pool owned by Mr. Mohammad Ismaeil Al Zama’areh
Unknown Future:
The ghost of displacement is currently haunting 15 Palestinians most of which are children in the aftermath of the Orders. Their only crime is that they believed that they can practice their fundamental right to a decent life on their land. After the Orders were delivered to them, they feel their lives are in jeopardy as they face an unknown future.
The Orders:
The Orders were issued by the so-called Civil Administration of Judea and Samaria. It indicated the following:
Stop work (Building) Orders
Given that you are the owner… that has carried out some work as mentioned above without a permit andor in contradiction to the content of the approved licenses andor in contradiction of the laws and relevant orders, you are hereby requested to – in accordance to Article 38(1) T (3) of the Buildings, Villages and Cities Organization Law number 70 for the year 1966 – to stop immediately all construction work as detailed above.
The Inspection Committee will look during its upcoming session into the issue of demolition the building and returning the place to its prior condition in accordance with its jurisdiction as granted by the said law. The session will be held on the 6th of May, 2010 at 9:00 AM.
The Town of Halhul:
The town of Halhul is located 7 kilometers north of the city of Hebron. Its total area is 37,300 dunums of which 3,400 dununs are its built-up area while the remaining are agricultural lands. The town rises up the sea level about 1050 meters and is considered to be the highest point in the West Bank. The population of the town is about 22,128, according to the PCBS.
A large percentage of the lands of Halhul were expropriated and confiscated by Israeli occupation forces as listed below:
-
460 dunums for the colony of Karme Tsur and its immediate vicinity.
-
630 dunums for By-Pass Road 60
-
190 dunums for By-Pass Road 35
-
5200 dunums for the establishment of the electrical poles.
-
10,800 are classified as Area C in which Palestinian building is prohibited.
Pic.6: An overview of the town of Halhul.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
