Violation: demolishing a number of structures in Husan.
Location: Husan – Bethlehem.
Date: November 30, 2011.
Perpetrators: the Israeli Occupation Authorities.
Victims: families of Husan village.
Preface:
Husan is one of the villages to the West of Bethlehem; it is 7 km away and is edged with the Armistice line and Al Qabu (west) (Al Qabu is one of the Palestinian villages that was evicted in 1948), Nahhalin and Al Khadr (south), Al Khadr (east), and Battir (north). According to Husan Cultural Center, the village lost 5000 dunums to the Israeli colonization activities; leaving the residents with only 3000 dunums.
The village is rich with spring water, having more than 5 springs including Al Hawiyya, Al Sakhouna, Sabour, etc. Husan contains 3 mosques and a huge football field. According to the 2009 statistics, the village population has exceeded 8000 people.
Details:
On November 30, 2011, the Israeli Occupation Authorities demolished 3 structures in Husan village. The structures belong to:
-
Hasan Hamamra: a large Israeli force that consisted of 20 vehicles, 2 dozers, a jackhammer, and a truck broke into the village at around 3:00 am; they demolished a retaining wall surrounding a garage; they also destroyed a shed and ravaged the garage and a number of cars. The soldiers confiscated/stolen a generator, a roller, and various equipments.
The owner of the garage wondered while crying over the loss of his only source of income: ‘why am I not alloed to work here while a colonist is free to do whatever he wishes for?’The Israeli troops informed him that the demolition is necessary for ‘Israel’s security’ and accused him of ‘digging tunnels’.A quarrel between Hasan and the soldiers during the demolition which ended up by pointing a gun to his head.More than half a million in loss was recorded after the campaign that targeted the garage located over a 1.4-dunum-land and surrounded by an 80-meter-long wall.
-
Odeh Shawash: two hours later, the assailants moved to Mr. Shawash nursery and demolished it after confiscation a number of seedlings. An estimated loss of 100,000 ILS was recorded. Unlike his fellow villages, Mr. Shawash received a warning two days prior to demolition.
- Firas Shawash: at 6:00 am, the same force demolished a 300-m2 carwash and confiscated all the equipment in it. An estimated loss of 100,000 ILS was recorded.
- Sayf ad Din Shawash: the Israelis confiscated a container which he used as a cafeteria.
Table 1: demolished structures:
|
No.
|
Victim
|
Structures
|
Family members
|
Children
|
pictures
|
|
1
|
Hasan Hamamra
|
Retaining wall and a shed
|
18
|
|
|
|
2
|
Odeh Shawash
|
Nursery
|
–
|
|
7+8 |
|
3
|
Firas Shawash
|
Carwash
|
4
|
2
|
9+10 |
|
4
|
Sayf ad Din Shawash
|
cafeteria
|
3
|
1
|
|
Previous Aggressions:
Husan, like many other Palestinian villages, has been a target for several Israeli aggressions; in 2009, the Israeli Army threw a military order announcing the confiscation of 13.5 dunums for security reasons. According to the order, ‘to build the prevention wall needed to prevent hostiles from passing through’. In 2010, the colonists deliberately soaked Al Harayeq area with sewage water. A group of Israeli colonists pumped huge amounts of sewage water into the 20-dunum-land planted with figs, grapes, prunes, and olives.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
The Land Research Center
LRC
