Violation: demolition of structures
Date: 20/01/2015
Location: er-Refa'ia village/ Yatta
Perpetrators: Israel Civil Administration and army
Victims: Husni, Hussein and Mohamad Raba'i
Details:
The Israeli occupation authorities on January 20, 2015 demolished two residences and a facility used for storing fodder belonging to citizens from Raba'I family from Yatta town in Hebron governorate.
Citizen Husni Raba'i(32) asserted that a massive force from Israel Civil Administration ,army troops and police borders accompanied by a bulldozer and a digger came to the citizen's place and asked him to vacate the interior of his structures before they demolished them.
Photos 1-3: the occupation troops at time of the attack
Citizen Husni said that the staff from Civil Administration cut down the electricity on the house and they then embarked on demolishing the structures.
Dozer reached out Husni's house that is composed of two rooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. The house was built in 2008 and is inhabited by 6 members including 4 minors. The bulldozers then reached out the following structures:
- A 40 m2 agricultural barrack: built in 2013 and is used to shelter 30 sheep
- A 15 m2 tent: used to store fodder
- A 4 m2 bathroom
Photos 4-6: signs of the demolition on Husni's structures
Raba'i pointed out that he had a barrack demolished in the exact same location 7 years ago by the Israeli occupation; the demolition took place without any previous warning andor notices.
After the latest demolition, the Red Cross organization gifted a tent to shelter the family; members of the family were seen moving their furniture to some relatives' houses. Other items were put inside the tent; one of Husni's kids commented saying " yesterday, we slept in a house that protected us from cold; tonight we are sleeping in a freezing tent".
Photos 7-8: Husni's kids in the tent
Shortly after, the force reached out Hussein's residence which is located at the entrance of the village ; the family was asked to vacate the house and a storehouse next to the it belonging to Mohammad Raba'i (the father of the Raba'i brothers). The workers accompanying the force then cut down the electricity on the house and embarked on demolishing it.
Hussein's house is of 100m2 in area and was built in 2006 to be home for 3 members including 1 minors.
Dozers also reached out a storehouse used for sheep; the structure is owned by Mohammad Raba'i and was built in 2005. Noteworthy, the storehouse is of 80m2 in area; the occupation used the rubbles of Hussein's house to dump the storehouse.
Photos 9-10: sings of demolition on Hussein's and Mohammad's structures
Hussein Raba'i asserted that the Israeli occupation authorities served him four stop-work orders on his structures since 2006; the citizen sought help from Saint Yves association to object the order in Israeli court. Despite that, demolition took place eventually.
It should be marked that the village of er-Refa'ia is located east of Yatta town; it is edged by the village of al-Dairat and Karme'il from the east and two military watch towers from the west. The bypass road no. 317 was opened on lands confiscated from the village.
Prepared by
The Land Research Center
LRC
