The Israeli occupation ravages a road in Yatta

Violation: Sweeping away a paved road
Date: 18/06/ 2014
Location: Yatta town, Hebron governorate
Perpetrators: The Israeli occupation forces
Victims: 8000 people of Yatta
Details:

On June 18, 2014, the state authorities destroyed a road connecting the village of ad-Deirat with other villages of Yatta, namely (Khallet al-Mayeh, ar-Rafa'iya, Umm-al Shakhan, Umm Lasfa, and al-Buweib) and shut it off with earth mounds.

A large force of the Israeli army riding two bulldozers broke into ad- Deirat village, east of Yatta where they ravaged the paved road, inflicting damage to it as a result. The road is 900 meters long and 7 wide, including 4.5 meters paved. The Israeli occupation destroyed 800 meters of the road, starting with the eastern side of Yatta (near ad- Deirat) and ending westward (near ar-Rafa'iya enterance).

Pictures A, B, C: The Israeli forces while destroying the road (Source: Operation Dove)

Pictures 1-6: The damage inflicted after the ravaging and closure of the road

Head of Khallet al-Mayeh village council, Khaled Abu Hmeid, stated to an LRC field researcher that the Israeli authorities had destroyed the road without prior warning, destroying one of the most recent projects implemented by the council in the process.

Ad- Deirat and Khallet al-Mayeh village council finished paving part of the road in January, 2014 to serve the villages of the area. The road is used by six communities to reach bypass road no. 375. The road is also a shortcut for people who live in the eastern khirbets of Yatta (al-Hathalin, Umm-al Khair, and az-Zueidin) and want to visit Yatta; instead of taking the long road via Zeev village.

After the Israeli occupation closed the road with earth mounds, people returned to their struggle with movement and transportation between villages. According to the estimation of the village council, around 8000 people are affected by the closure.