Violation: Leveling a room to the ground
Location: Ein al-Dalba, al-Fawwar / Hebron governorate
Date: 18/06/2014
Perpetrators: The Israeli authorities
Victims: Saeed al-Azza
Details:
On June 18, the state authorities razed an agricultural room that belongs to Saeed al-Azza from al-Fawwar refugee camp, south of Hebron.
While being interviewed by an LRC field researcher, al-Azza pointed out that he received a call from a neighbor informing him that the Israeli bulldozers broke into his land in Ein al-Dalba, west of al-Fawwar camp, where they embarked on tearing down the room.
Al-Azza added that:"Upon my arrival, the Israeli authorities had been done with the demolition and were about to leave. Along the bulldozer, five jeeps of the Israeli occupation were present in the area."
Pictures 1: The damage inflicted after the demolition
The destroyed room, 35 m2 in area, was built in 2012 with metal slabs. It was provided to al-Azza by a charitable organization to use for rest while taking care of the land.
Al-Azza also asserted that he received two orders last year; the first was a stop-work while the second was a final stop-work and demolition order under the pretext of 'unlicensed construction'. Al-Azza did not obtain a permit nor ask for one because he was sure the state authorities would not grant him a license in addition to his bad financial status.
LRC considers demolitions of Palestinian property a blatant violation of all the International conventions and Humanitarian laws, including:
Article 17 of the (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights stating: “Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.”
Section ‹G› of article 23 of the (1907) The Hague Conventions asserting: “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.”
Article 53 of the Geneva Fourth Convention (1948) declaring: “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.”
Section 1, Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966): “The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions. The States Parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right, recognizing to this effect the essential importance of international co-operation based on free consent."
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
