Stop-work Orders in Al Ramadeen – Qalqiliya Governorate

Violation: stop-work orders for a school, residences and  shacks

Location: Al Ramadeen – Qalqiliya.

Date: June 29 and July 05, 2017

Perpetrators: the so-called Regional Inspection Committee

Victims: residents of the Bedouin community

Preface:

People of Al Ramadeen originate from the Ber Sheva area; they were displaced in 1948 as a result of the Israeli conquest. They took refuge in southern Hebron before being forced to move again due to the lack of resources. They moved to the northern part of the West Bank forming to gatherings, Al Ramadeen al Shamali, north of Qalqiliya, and Al Ramadeen al Janoubi, south of the city. Al Ramadeen gathering, the like of any other residential community in the West bank, has been a target for constant Israeli aggressions; not a single structure has been spared from a demolition order. A total number of 31 orders threatening 110 people.

Opposite to Al Ramadeen, stands the Israeli colony of Zufim; the colony has been expanding over Qalqiliyya and Jayyous while taking over natural resources in the area. The colonists are using the snake-like segregation wall to implement colonial plans aiming to capture as much lands as possible.

Details:

On June 05, 2017, an Israeli force broke into Al Ramadeen Al- Janoubi and delivered stop-work orders targeting a school and kindergarten on the pretext of building without a permit in an area classified ‘C’ according to Oslo. The orders gave the owners till July 19, 2017 to apply for permits. It must be noted that it is almost impossible for a Palestinian to acquire a permit in an area classified ‘C’.

Reportedly, the school was built via societal efforts in 2011. Later on, the society obtained funds from GVC aid organization to expand the school to accommodate grades from first to seven, where 94 students receive education through five teachers.

The kindergarten was built in 2015 and now serves 21 children through the supervision of two teachers. It was funded via Ministry of Local Governance.

In a similar context, a force from the occupation army accompanied by the Planning and Construction Committee in Israel Civil Administration raided in the same date the Bedouin community and delivered stop-work orders to the owners of two residences and two sheep barns on the claim of "unlicensed construction ".

 The orders mentioned that July 19, 2017 will be the hearing session for the Planning and Construction Committee in the Israeli court of Beit EL colony to consider the status of the notified structures.

Photos 1-2: Al-Ramdeen Al-Janoubi Bedouin community

Table 1: Victims:

Al Ramadeen (south):

Al Ramadeen is located to the north east of Qalqiliyya, behind the wall and 700 meters away from Zufin colony. There is also an Israeli military encampment tens of meters away from the gathering. Around 60 families, 200 people, inhabit the area.

Since the construction of the segregation wall, Al Ramadeen along side Abu Farda (150 people), Ad Day’a (279 people), Wad al Rasha (180 people), and Ras Tira (410 people) were all placed within a pocket of the wall forming some sort of a ‘ghetto’. The communities have been surrounded by the wall with only two Israeli-controlled gates connecting the communities with their Palestinian surroundings. At the beginning of 2009, the Israeli Supreme Court ordered the adjustment of the route of the segregation wall. All of the aforementioned communities were left out of the ‘ghetto’ except Al Ramadeen.

The Israelis efforts to evict Al Ramadeen were futile thanks to the people’s dedication and determination to keep their lands. In 2008, the Israeli Supreme Court have ruled out the Israeli Army demands to forcefully evict the people of al Ramadeen based on proofs that the people own the lands long before the Occupation of the West Bank in 1967.

However, the Israeli Army attempts to clear the gathering are a proof that Israeli Courts orders have no value and plans are made on different levels. 90 or so structures in Al Ramadeen are facing constant demolition threats and the same goes for tens of communities in the Jordan Valley area.

Prepared by
 The Land Research Center
LRC