Israeli Occupation Forces demolish structures in Anata Bedouin community of Al-Azazima

At the early hours of July 21, 2016, dozers of the Israeli occupation army broke into Al-Baq'an neighborhood that is founded at the northern entrance of Anata town and embarked on a vast demolition operation in the Bedouin community of Al-Azazima .Noteworthy, demolition reached out a number of residential barracks and sheep barns.

Mrs. Jamila Jahalin told Land Research Center the following:

" This community started sixty years ago. It is when the father of my husband resided the area after being expelled from the Ber Al-Saba' area of Erad by the occupation. My husband was born in this community, which later expanded to include ten families.

The community is founded on an eight dunum land rented from the Ministry of Endowment in 2011. The renewable rent contract was for a period of four years with the pay of 12,000 JD. Later, we received a demolition order from Israel Civil Administration on the claim of unlicensed construction despite the fact that the land belongs to the Ministry of Endowment and has Tapo registration documents on it. But the occupation claims the targeted lands as Absentees' Property. This was the first order we receive. After the incident, we sought Jerusalem Center for Legal Aid for help and hired attorney Abdallah Hammad to follow up on our case"

She also added:

" In the morning of July 10, 2016, employees from Israel Civil Administration arrived at the location and photographed the community from all directions without delivering us any order or notice". At dawn of July 26, 2016, a force from the occupation army and military dozers encircled the community, evacuated the residents and demolished seven residential barracks and four sheep barns". The following table shows information about the affected Bedouins and residences:

Source : Field observation- Department of Monitoring Israeli Violations- Land Research Center-2016

The following table shows information about the affected Bedouins and barns:

Source : Field observation- Department of Monitoring Israeli Violations- Land Research Center-2016

The Israeli acts of ravaging and destruction violate the international laws and human rights that include but limited to:

1. 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.”
2. 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.”
3. Article 33 of  Geneva Fourth Convention : "Reprisals against protected persons and their property are prohibited".
4. 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.”
5. Article 147 of  Geneva Fourth Convention 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: wilful killing, torture or inhuman treatment, including biological experiments, wilfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health, unlawful deportation or transfer or unlawful confinement of a protected person, compelling a protected person to serve in the forces of a hostile Power, or wilfully depriving a protected person of the rights of fair and regular trial prescribed in the present Convention, taking of hostages and extensive destruction and appropriation of property, not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly.

Prepared by
 The Land Research Center
LRC