New Israeli demolition orders threaten the fate of 10 Palestinian homes in Jalud Village in the southern Nablus periphery

Jalud, a Palestinian village located south of Nablus city; north of the West Bank is undergoing the wrath of the Israeli Army with new halt-of-construction orders that  threat the fate of 10 Palestinian homes there. On the 3rd of November 2015, the Israeli Civil Administration (ICA) handed out several Palestinian families in Jalud Village military orders stating to halt the construction of their homes under the pretext of lacking valid build licenses. The targeted homes are located in area classified as “C”, where Israel still retains full control over the land in terms of security and administrative, according to Oslo II interim agreement of 1995. The orders target the homes of Muhammad Kamel Abbad, Muhammad Kamal Abbad, Hussein Kamal Abbad, Farhan Kamal Abbad, Farah Farhan Abbad, Naseem Farhan Abbad, Mahmoud Farhan Abbad, Fawzi Sami Abbad, Mahmoud Sami Abbad and Salam Sami Abbad, (Jalud Vilage Council). Table 1 gives details of the military Orders

The demolition orders received by Jalud families state that the existing structures were built/installed in violation of the fourth chapter of the Israeli City, Village, and Building Planning Law no. 79 of 1966 which was amended after the 1967 war by the Israeli Occupation Authorities on the basis of Military order No. 418 to comply with Israel's interests and settlement plans in the occupied Palestinian territory. 

The ICA gave targeted Palestinian families in Jalud village until the 23rd  of November 2015 to file objections against the halt of construction orders and to proceed with license procedures. However, they also pointed out that pursuing license procedures does not guarantee Palestinians a license by the Israeli civil administration as stipulated in the Order or stop possible demolition during that time.

Photos 1-4: Copies of the military orders

Map 1: Location of the targeted homes in Jalud village

Analysis of the military orders showed the targeted Palestinian homes are located close to two Israeli outposts named Ahiya and Esh Kodesh that were illegally established on lands of Jalud village and administratively follow Shevut Rahel settlement in Nablus Governorate. Note that on the 1st of October, 2015, the Israeli daily newspaper “Haaretz”, revealed that the Israeli Government intends to legalize four illegal outposts northeast of Ramallah Governorate, two of them are Ahiya and Yesh Kodesh. The newspaper added that the plan came as a response from the Israeli Supreme Court to “Yeash Din” -Israeli human rights organization- to evacuate the illegal settlement of ‘Adi ‘Ad east of the illegal settlement of Shilo which was built on private Palestinian land. See Map and for more information, click here:-

Map 2: location of the four outposts israel intends to legalize

Ahiya outpost was founded in 1997 and has almost 50 structures in the site housing around 50[1] Israeli settlers. The Jalud village council stated that in recent days, the Israeli Occupation authorities have been advancing the expansion of the outpost on lands of Jalud village, where new caravans are being added in addition to preparing the infrastructure for new ones. While Yesh Kodesh Oupost was established in the Year 2000 and has already 35 caravans in the site and has a total population of around 40 settlers[2].

Palestinians in Jalud village and most specifically the families that were targeted with halt of construction orders, often complained about the Israeli settlers attacks in the area, especially those coming from Yesh Kodesh and Ahiya outposts intending to terrorizing them and force them to leave the area. Attacks including damaging homes, throwing stones and cocktail Molotov cocktails and attacking civilians. The targeted Palestinian houses are just few hundred meters away from the afore-mention outposts.  

To conclude,

While Israel's government is advancing efforts to legalizing four Israeli outposts in the occupied territory and allowing settlement construction in the area, it gives the green light for the implementation of its demolition policy in the occupied Palestinian Territory and illegally continue to persecute them for building homes and structures without permits, because it simply doesn’t guarantee them building licenses to build in the area that is still under its full control.

Israel continues to target Palestinian homes and structures with a relentless demolishing campaign in violation of international law, some of which are listed below:-

The Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 clearly prohibits the destruction of Palestinian homes.  Article 53 of the Convention states: 'Any destruction by the Occupying power of real or personal property belonging individually or collectively to private persons, or to the State, or other public authorities or social or cooperative organizations is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.' Such policies target the civilian population of the Occupied Palestinian Territories and thus cannot be excused on the basis of military necessity.

Also Article 147 of the same convention clearly prohibits, 'extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly.' 

Additionally, the demolition of Palestinian is explicitly outlawed by The Hague Conventions of 1907, where Article 23 (G) of the convention clearly states that the occupying power is forbidden “to destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war.”

Facts on the Ground, Americans for PEACENOW
[1] http://archive.peacenow.org/map.php

[2] Facts on the Ground, Americans for PEACENOW
[2] http://archive.peacenow.org/map.php

Prepared by:  
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem