On the 29th of December 2015, the Israeli occupation army handed over Palestinians in Beit Ummer town, north of Hebron city, a new military order stating the seizure of 313 square meters (0.313 dunums) of land for urgent security needs, to construct a two barbed-wire fence sections, in an area locally known as “Wad Ash Sheikh” and “Habayel Shesh” in the town. See copy of the military order
Photos 1-3: a copy of the military order and the attached maps
The Israeli military order comes under the title: “Land Seizure order No. 15/31/MD (Judea and Samaria), 5776-2015” and was signed by the so called “Judea and Samaria” Division Commander Brigadier General Lior Carmeli on the 2nd July 2015. According to the Israeli military order, the two barbed-wire fence sections will be erected alongside the Jerusalem – Hebron Road (Israeli Bypass Road 60) in the direction of Halhul town and Hebron city, where the first section will extend a length of 48 meters, while the second section will extend a length of almost 26 meters. See Map 1
Map 1: The Palestinian lands targeted in the military order
The validity of the military order applies from the day the order was signed (in July 2015) and until the 6th of February 2016[1]. Additionally, Palestinians of Beit Ummer town received the military order almost six months after it was issued in July 2015; which means that Palestinian families whose lands are affected/or will be affected by the erection of the two fences, already lost their right to petition the military order at the Israeli court, because the period given to object the military order, which is five days’ time, as stated in the order, has expired.
To sum up,
In light of the recent political situation in the occupied West Bank and in particular in Hebron Governorate, the Israeli occupation authorities tightened up the grip on Palestinians living in Beit Ummer town, especially in the vicinity of the town’s cemetery, by closing the roads leading to the town’s periphery with earth-mounds, causing obstruction to the movement of Palestinians in the area (from students, teachers, employees ..etc.) who live in the area surrounding the cemetery in addition to obstructing the Palestinian vehicular movement.
The Israeli occupation Authorities continues to implement its settlement plans in the occupied West Bank under the pretext of security. These settlement plans vary in purpose and include the building and expansion of Israeli settlements, the construction of the segregation wall and bypass roads, setting up checkpoints and designating lands as military bases, and many other plans that contribute much to the suffering of the Palestinian society. The Israeli land confiscation order issued in Beit Ummar town is a clear evidence to the Israeli authorities’ exploitation of the security pretext in order to seize more Palestinian land in Beit Ummer town and in the rest of the West Bank Governorates, and its continued quest to impose new realities on the ground, ignoring the condemnation of the international community to such plans which come in violation of the International Humanitarian Law, including the following:
Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. Geneva, 12 August 1949: PENAL SANCTIONS II. GRAVE BREACHES: Grave breaches to which the preceding Article relates shall be those involving any of the following acts, if committed against persons or property protected by the present Convention
- Article 147 : “…extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly.”
Convention (IV) relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War. Geneva, 12 August 1949: PROHIBITED DESTRUCTION:
- ARTICLE 53: "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."
Convention (IV) respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land and its annex: Regulations concerning the Laws and Customs of War on Land. The Hague, 18 October 1907: In addition to the prohibitions provided by special Conventions, it is especially forbidden:
- ART. 23 (g): "To destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war"
Article 17 – Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that
- (a) "Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others."
- (b) "No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property."
[1] The Israeli Occupation Authorities has to erect the two barbed wire fence sections during the period specified in the military order
Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
