Israeli Occupation Forces demolish two residences in Qalandiya Camp on “Security” claims

• Violation: demolition of  two houses
• Location:  Qalandiya refugee camp- North Jerusalem
• Date:  July 14, 206
• Perpetrators: Israeli Occupation Forces
• Victims: families of martyrs Issa Assaf and Anan Abu Habseh

Details:

A massive force from the Israeli occupation army raided on July 14, 2016 Qalandiya refugee camp, north occupied Jerusalem and targeted the houses of martyrs Issa Assaf (22) and Anan Abu Habseh (20). The families of martyrs told Land Research Center that the force stormed the camp at one after midnight. The raiding force was met with stone belting by locals  before reaching the place of martyr Issa Assaf.

It should be marked that Assaf's house is of 120m² in area and is founded in the second floor of a five story building. The house that was home for seven member family was totally destroyed during the operation.

Photos  1-4: the house of martyr Assaf

Next was the house of martyr Anan Abu Habseh. The attacking force encircled the three floor house, where the brothers of the martyr and their families reside and ordered 14 members including 6 children to evacuate. The force then planted explosive in the roof of the building (90m²) and detonated it, causing the walls of other floors to crack.

 Photos 5-7: the house of martyr Anan Abu Habseh

Israeli court rejects the families' plea to stop demolition

It should be marked that Israel Supreme Court rejected the plea submitted by the martyrs' families to stop the demolition of their residences, given that the houses are inhabited since long ago.

The plea was rejected and the court ruled the demolition of the houses on June 10 with a five day deadline to evacuate.

Noteworthy, the occupation authorities served on December 28, 2015 demolition orders on the houses of martyrs. In the beginning of 2016, an objection to the order was submitted to the military prosecutor. The rejection was turned down and the affected families filed a plea to Israel Supreme Court that was eventually rejected, leading to the demolition of residences.

Since Al-Aqsa uprising of 2015 until the date of this report, Israeli Occupation Forces demolished 39 residence on "Security " claim, of which 19 residences were demolished in 2015 where the other 20 were brought down in 2016,  rendering 200 persons including 71 children homeless. Closing and detonating house also caused 47 residence to get partially damaged and uninhabitable.

The graph illustrates the number of demolished structures from October 2015 until July 2016 by governorate

Despite the fact that home demolition is illegal, Israel Supreme Court always rules in favor of such demolition. This reflects that the occupation prosecution is an implementation tool in the hands of the occupation.

It should be marked that the order was issued in reference to the British Emergency Law for the year 1945, taking into consideration that this law was abolished. “Confiscation and demolition” according to article 119 of the law indicates that it is not allowed to re-construct in the demolition location.

The Israeli occupation authorities made sure to extend the validity of the British law to use it against Palestinians.

Land Research Center sees Israeli practices and measures as a collective punishment against the families of martyrs and prisoners.  The occupation seeks to traumatize and humiliate Palestinian families through such practices.

The Israeli government claims such orders to be deterrent for Palestinians who carry out stabbing attacks.  Such attacks come in response for colonists’ attacks on Palestinians, the latest of which was represented in torching a family alive, not mentioning running over kids and women,  attacks on trees (torching , cutting down, robbing) and lands confiscation.

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

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 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.”

Prepared by
 The Land Research Center
LRC