Israeli Occupation Forces demolish structures in Yatta town

Violation: demolition of three structures
Date: June 19. 2016
Location: Khirbet Wad Jheish- Yatta
Perpetrators: Israel Civil Administration and army
Victims: citizens Khalil and Hisham Nawaj'a

Details:

The Israeli occupation authorities on June 19. 2016 demolished three structures in the area of Wad Jheish, south Yatta town in Hebron governorate. Khalil Nawaj'a (65) said that a vehicle relative to the Civil Administration accompanied by a force from the occupation army raided the Khirbet, deployed in the surroundings and encircled the targeted structures in preparation for demolition. Accompanying workers to the force evicted some of the structures' interior before two dozers brought them down.

Photos 1+3: dozers demolishing the structures

It should be marked that the notified structures belong to the following citizens:

Citizen Khalil Nawaj'a: the occupation demolished his metal slaps residence , which is home for his six member family including 3 children. The demolished 50m² tent was established in 2013.

Photos 4+5: sings of demolition

Photo 6: the structure before demolition

Citizen Hisham Nawaj'a: the occupation demolished his structure , which is home for his 12 member family including 9 children. The demolished 40m² tent was established in 2005.

Photo 7+8: sings of demolition

Photo 9: the structure before demolition

Also, the occupation also demolished an outdoors structure owned by citizen Hisham; the 25m² structure is a sheep tent that was established in 2005. Not only, the occupation brought down a 16m² tent belonging to the same citizen.

Photo 10: sings of demolition on the sheep tent

Photo 11: the tent before demolishing

It should be marked that the Israeli occupation authorities served the affected citizens orders indicating "additional opportunity to object demolition" on May 10, 2015. Citizens pointed out that they sought help from the Saint Yves association to object the orders through. The demolition caused the family to become homeless and to sleep out in the wild. Noteworthy, the affected citizen set up a tent next day to shelter his family from the heat wave that hit the country at time.

Photo 12: the newly set up tent

The residential community of Wad Jheish populates 80 people. It is surrounded by Susiya colony from the north and Beit Yattir colony and the bypass road number 317 from the east.

Land Research Center LRC sees that demolitions contradict with all the International conventions and Humanitarian laws including:

Article 17 of the (1948) Universal Declaration of Human Rights stating: “Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.”
Section ‹G› of article 23 of the (1907) The Hague Conventions asserting: “In addition to the prohibitions provided by special Conventions, it is especially forbidden to destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war.”
Article 53 of the Geneva Fourth Convention (1948) declaring: “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.”
Section 1, Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966): “The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his family, including adequate food, clothing and housing, and to the continuous improvement of living conditions. The States Parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this right, recognizing to this effect the essential importance of international co-operation based on free consent."