Violation: stop-work orders on four residences
Location: Tuqu' – Bethlehem.
Date: 15/12/2014.
Perpetrators: the Israeli Occupation Civil Administration
Victims: villagers of Tuqu'.
Details:
On December 15, 2014, the Israeli Occupation Authorities issued a number of stop-work orders targeting four residences, all are under construction.
Citizen Saher Hasan(27)asserted that Israel Civil Administration with the army troops stormed the village and handed citizens out stop-work orders on their structures. He also added: " I was shocked by the occupation's order. The house cost me more than 180 thousand INS; my family( three members) and I are expected to live in the house, yet it is still under construction on the land I inherited from my father"
The order mentioned that the structures were unlicensed construction and compelled immediate termination of work. January 15, 2015 is set as a date of a hearing session to be held in Beit El Military Court to consider whether to demolish the structures or restore their status quo. The following table shows information about the affected citizens :
| Affected citizen | Aream2 | No. of buildings | No. of apartments | No of structures | Notes | Photo |
| Saher Hasan | 240 | 1 | 2 | — | Two floor house to be home to the owner's family | 1 |
| Ahmad Suliman | 40 | 1 | – | — | Under construction house | 2 |
| Mosa Hussein | 150 | 1 | 1 | 1 | One apartment and a basement to be home to the owner's family | 3 |
| Mahmoud Hasan | 110 | 1 | 1 | Under construction o be home to the owner's family | N.A | |
| Total | 4300 | 11 | 28 | 7 |
Source: Field Observations – Monitoring Israeli Human Rights Violations- Land Research Center
About Tuqu':
Tuqu' is an old Canaanite name which meant "placing of tents"; the crusaders called it "Thecua" as it was one of their strongholds in Bethlehem area.
Tuqu' has a great deal of Roman, Greek, and Mamluke ruins considering its strategic location. One of the most significant ruins is the "baptism basin" which is a stony artifact that has been cut and formed. It represents a number of Christian sects.
It is believed that the artifact has been made around the 1750s; it is also believed that this is one part of a two-part artifact; the second part's location is unknown.
Tuqu' is surrounded by 5 Israeli colonies including Tquah, AlDavid, Nokdim, in addition to two other colonies to the south, Mizpe Shalim and Mushki Dar Got.
Tuqu' total area is 10 km2. Therefore it is considered the largest rural community in Palestine. The village is 12km to the west of Bethlehem governorate and is covered by evergreen trees, making it an attractions to many visitors and tourists.
It is inhabited by 13000 people by 2014 including all its four parts namely: Tuqu' , Khirbet Tuqu', Khirbet al-Dair, and al-Halqum .
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