Israeli Occupation Forces ravage 38 dunums in the Hebron town of Kharas

• Violation: ravaging roads and uprooting trees
• Location:  Kharas town- Hebron governorate
• Date: October 06, 2016
• Perpetrators: the so-called Israel Civil Administration
• Victims:  farmers from Kharas

Details:

Israeli Occupation Forces on October 06, 2016 ravaged lands, uprooted trees and demolished water well in Kharas town, west Hebron city. It should be marked that a force from the Israeli army accompanied by a staff from Israel Civil Administration and two dozers raided the area known as "Al-Taff" , uprooted trees  and demolished retaining walls and water well founded in the area.

Photos 1-9: signs of the uprooted trees and the ravaged land

According to the data of Kharas Municipality, the total area of ravaged lands reached up to 38 dunums. The following table shows information about the affected and their properties:

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

It should be marked that Israeli Occupation Forces ravaged lands and uprooted olive and almond trees in synchronization with the olive picking season. Noteworthy, farmers tried to save some of the fruits from the uprooted trees to compensate their losses.

In 2013, Israeli Occupation Forces served eviction order on Surif town on the claim of them being "State Lands". Residents of the town prepared legal files to object and submitted ownership documents to Israeli authorities through attorneys and Ministry of Wall Affairs. Despite all efforts, some lands were ravaged.

Land Research Center documented the incident. For more information, please visit the following (LINK).

About Kharas:

It is 17km to the west of Hebron city and is inhabited by 9,000 people. Kharas totals 6579 dunums in area is edged by Halhul from the east, "Green Line" from the west, Surif town from the north and Nuba town from the south.

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."

Prepared by
 The Land Research Center
LRC